Jurnee Smollett-Bell: We Must Address Systemic Issues That Stem From Slavery

Actress Jurnee Smollett-Bell plays a house slave who takes a gamble with her life to reach freedom in WGN America's new show "Underground,"  a series she said is still incredibly relevant to the racial issues that prevail today.

Smollett-Bell -- who is known for her roles in "The Great Debaters," "True Blood," and "Friday Night Lights" -- hopes the show will ignite a conversation about the unsung heroes of the Underground Railroad and the effects of slavery that still linger on.

"'Underground' is such an important show for us to be having aired right now because it will create a dialogue and it forces us to look at ourselves. Art holds a mirror up to society," she told host Alex Miranda .

She also spoke out against both "overt" and "systemic racism," both of which still plague America today. While hearing someone use racial slurs may sting, Smollett-Bell placed focus on the systemic problems that lead to societal ills like mass incarceration , the racial wealth gap and mental health issues , all of which disproportionately impact black Americans.

We still see our brothers and sisters being killed by police officers. We still see them being locked up at a faster rate. We still see us battling with poverty and mental illness at higher rates. These are all systemic injustices that come from racism, that come from slavery. Until we really heal the wounds that we dealt with during slavery, I don't think we'll be a fully realized country.

Watch the full HuffPost Live conversation with Jurnee Smollett-Bell here . 

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