Reparations Roundup: December 2024–January 2025

January 30, 2025 | By WILSON FREEMAN , SAMANTHA ROMERO , ANDREW QUINIO

The Return of California Reparations Legislation 

After falling short in the last legislative session, California reparations advocates have returned with new legislation benefitting descendants of enslaved persons. During the special legislative session on December 2, state lawmakers introduced three reparations bills:  

  • AB 7 – Admission Preference for Descendants – Permits California State University, the University of California, independent institutions of higher education, and private postsecondary educational institutions to consider providing a preference in admissions to an applicant who is a descendant of an enslaved person.
  • AB 57 – Home Purchase Assistance Program – States the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would reserve a portion of the funds in the Home Purchase Assistance Program for descendants of slaves.
  • AB 62 – Compensation for Racially Motivated Eminent Domain – States the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would assist victims of racially motivated eminent domain in seeking the return of taken property, recovering other property of equal value, or financial compensation. This is a rehash of last session’s SB 1050, which Gov. Newsom vetoed

More From California’s Capital   

The City of Sacramento passed a resolution that continues its reparations efforts. Since 2021, the City has implemented the Mayoral Reparations Initiative, which included the securing of grant funding for research, multiple reparations presentations, and working with the statewide reparations task force. The City has resolved to transition this initiative to the City Manager’s Office to identify additional resources for expanding its efforts. Supporters see the resolution as a step closer to achieving reparations for descendants in Sacramento.  

Reparations Task Force in the Nation’s Capital 

The DC Council passed legislation to study reparations for slavery descendants. The bill—which the Council renamed to avoid heightened scrutiny and pushback from the incoming Congress and president-elect—establishes a Reparations Task Force to study and develop reparation proposals for African Americans wronged by slavery, Jim Crow, and structural and institutional racism. The task force would also recommend ways to compensate eligible recipients. 

The bill must undergo review by the U.S. Congress. Unless Congress enacts a joint resolution disapproving the bill, DC will have its task force.  

Northampton, MA, Reports   

The Reparations Study Commission of Northampton, Massachusetts, released a preliminary report that included recommendations for atoning for historic wrongs against black residents. Among the recommendations are supporting state and federal reparations efforts, reforming the police, and assisting black-owned businesses. The report also identifies several local financial and cultural institutions that were historically involved in implementing racially restrictive covenants. Commissioners were previously at odds over whether these institutions should be disclosed to the public.    

St. Louis, MO, Reports 

The Reparations Commission of the City of St. Louis, Missouri, also issued its report, following a year and a half of meetings and listening sessions. The report recommends robust investment in black communities, expanded access to higher education for black students, and direct cash payments, zero-interest loans, and grants for black entrepreneurs.  

Wichita, KS 

In July 2024, the Wichita City Council was asked to explore creating a reparations commission, following the establishment of a similar commission in Kansas City. By early January 2025, however, the mayor publicly announced opposition to forming such a commission, claiming the issue was better dealt with at the federal level. This prompted an activist to file an ethics complaint against the mayor. 

New York City  

On September 12, 2024, the New York City Council passed Local Law 91—requiring the Commission on Racial Equity (CORE) to establish a Truth, Healing, and Reconciliation process related to the city’s historic involvement in slavery—and Local Law 92, which mandates CORE to work with subject-matter experts to study the historical and present-day role of New York City government in perpetrating or perpetuating slavery and related racial injustices, and to consider reparative measures.  

On December 17, 2024, CORE issued a public request for input on reparations measures. The commission scheduled Q&A sessions on January 7 and January 22 to gather further community feedback. 

St. Paul, MN 

St. Paul’s reparations commission was established in 2023 to advise the City Council and mayor for two years, with “housing equity” cited as a key concern. The commission began meeting in March 2024 and has since focused on organizational and preparatory work.  

Under the City’s 2025 budget, the commission has been allocated $250,000 to deepen its efforts, conduct a comprehensive harm study of impacted St. Paul residents who are descendants of enslaved people, and continue its community engagement activities into 2025. 

Federal  

Senator Cory Booker introduced S 40, “A bill to address the fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality, and inhumanity of slavery in the United States and the 13 American colonies between 1619 and 1865 and to establish a commission to study and consider a national apology and proposal for reparations for the institution of slavery, its subsequent de jure and de facto racial and economic discrimination against African Americans, and the impact of these forces on living African Americans, to make recommendations to the Congress on appropriate remedies, and for other purposes.” If passed, this legislation would create a federal commission to examine possible reparative measures at the national level. 

 

 

 

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