Apologizing for Slavery

Recently I read an article that talks about how the US Government apologized for slavery. The author thinks that this was not enough. She writes from her personal opinion, that slavery was horrible and we need to do something to fix its effects. She even says that she feels bad being born as a white female, whose ancestors were slave traders, because she lives off of slavery's benefits.

First off, was it necessary for the government to apologize for slavery? Sure, it was a nice gesture, but does that help anyone feel better. Personally, I think slavery does need more than an apology, but is there anything we can really do? The more trying to fix it might just make it worse.

So then, what, if anything, should be done to fix the effects of something that ended years ago?

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/08/19/browne.slavery/index.html