The curse of Ham or the Hamitic curse was often employed by American southerners to justify the enslavement of African people.  They argued that Africans were enslaved because it was God’s will and they were just playing their role in God’s judgment against this people group.  This erroneous interpretation of sacred Scripture would also be used to justify segregation and racial inequality.  But, it should be noted that God does not curse Ham but Noah does curses Canaan: “Curse be Canaan; lowest of slaves shall he be to his brothers.  He (Noah) also said ‘Blessed by the Lord my God be Shem; and let Canaan be his slave” (Genesis 9.25-26, NRSV).  So, what curse?