Reparations Roundup: September-October 2025
California Gets New Bureaucracy, Falls Short of Other Goals
Governor Gavin Newsom once again vetoed several bills that would have provided benefits to descendants of enslaved persons in California. The governor rejected measures that would have given descendants a college admission preference, priority licensing, homebuying assistance, and compensation for racially motivated eminent domain. Legal risks and a lack of resources were among the reasons Newsom gave for withholding his approval.
However, the governor approved the creation of the Bureau for Descendants within the Civil Rights Department. The new agency is tasked with verifying and certifying descendant ancestry. Legislative analysis estimated it to cost $11.3 million in fiscal year 2025-26, $20 million in fiscal year 2026-27, and $18 million ongoing thereafter.
The governor also approved $6 million for The California State University to research the Reparations Task Force recommendations and determine ways to confirm a resident’s status as a descendant.
Asheville, North Carolina, Dissolves Commission Following DOJ Scrutiny
The Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice told Buncombe County that it was “deeply concerned” by recommendations of its Community Reparations Commission. In a September letter to the County, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said that the Commission’s recommendations would violate federal civil rights laws if implemented. Dhillon promised to investigate and enforce any violations of the law if the municipality adopts the recommendations. The Asheville City Council and Buncombe County Board of Commissioners appointed members to the Commission in 2022 after it was established in 2020.
The Commission issued its final report to the City Council on September 9, which included recommendations for direct cash payments to individuals harmed by racial discrimination.
The City Council formally dissolved the Commission at its October 14 meeting. The resolution dissolving the Commission did not mention DOJ scrutiny as the reason for dissolution. Instead, the City Council noted the Commission’s submission of its final report as prompting the entity’s end.
Evanston, Illinois, Program Continues
Evanston’s Reparations Commission approved $25,00 grants to 45 additional recipients in October. So far, 256 individuals have received reparations funds from the committee, which includes black Evanston residents who lived in the city between 1919 and 1969 and their relatives.
The City of Evanston is facing a lawsuit over its reparations program. That lawsuit is ongoing.
State Commissions Hold Community Forums
State commissions in both Illinois and New York held community forums to discuss reparations in preparation for reports that will be delivered to state legislatures. In Urbana, the Illinois African Descent-Citizens Reparations Commission gathered scholars and local leaders to trace slavery’s legacy and collect input for a forthcoming legislative report. Meanwhile, Brooklyn hosted a session led by the New York State Community Commission on Reparations Remedies, focusing on gentrification and redlining’s impact on black neighborhoods.
Appointments in Atlanta
Atlanta is appointing members to its Reparations Study Commission, which will look for “unconventional approaches to reparations.” The 14-member group, which includes academic and community representatives, is considering options such as housing assistance, job training, and educational programs, rather than direct financial payments. The Commission is tasked with producing a final report by the end of 2025.
Maryland Governor Calls for Immediate Action
Governor Wes Moore recently vetoed legislation that would have created a state reparations commission, stating that additional studies are unnecessary after years of similar research. Instead, Moore emphasized in a radio interview that immediate action through initiatives such as the $400 million Just Communities program, which targets neighborhoods affected by historic discriminatory policies, along with investments in HBCUs, mass pardons, and procurement reforms. Moore argued these measures address systemic inequities without waiting for another multi-year study.
