St. Louis Reparations Commission Meets For The First Time

 

The Reparations Commission, established by St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones, held its inaugural meeting to create recommendations on what reparations should look like in the city. For foundational Black Americans, reparations are crucial to correct historical injustices, and three premises backed up by Pew Research data citations will highlight this.

Firstly, reparations recognize and address the ongoing effects of slavery, Jim Crow laws, and other systemic racism that Black Americans continue to face. A Pew Research Center survey revealed, 61% of Black Americans believe the country hasn't gone far enough to give Black people equal rights with whites, and 71% say it's essential to continue making changes to achieve racial equality (Mitchel , 2021). Reparations would acknowledge these long-standing issues and provide a pathway to healing and progress.

Secondly, reparations would help to address the wealth gap between Black and white Americans. Pew Research reports that in 2019, the median net worth of white households was ten times greater than that of Black families (Kochhar, 2021). This disparity directly results from historical discrimination and systemic racism that have prevented Black Americans from accessing the same opportunities and resources as their white counterparts.

Reparations would provide a means to close this gap and allow Black Americans to build generational wealth.

Finally, reparations would benefit Black Americans and the broader society. By addressing the injustices and inequality Black Americans have faced for centuries, reparations would help create a more just society. Pew Research data shows that a majority of Americans do not  support reparations, with 68% of Americans not agreeing slavery still affects Black people today (Blazina & Cox, 2023).

Reparations are vital for foundational Black Americans to address the ongoing effects of systemic racism, close the wealth gap, and create a more just and equitable society. The Reparations Commission in St. Louis is an essential step towards achieving these goals, and elected leaders must take action on the recommendations that are put forward.

References

Blazina, C., & Cox, K. (2023, April 25). Black and White Americans are far apart in their views of reparations for slavery. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2022/11/28/black-and-white-americans-are-far-apart-in-their-views-of-reparations-for-slavery/

City of St. Louis, Missouri. (2023, April 25). Reparations Commission Meeting - April 24, 2023.  City of St. Louis, Missouri Live Stream [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5HAbXRQiTU

Kochhar, R., & Cilluffo, A. (2020, May 30). How wealth inequality has changed in the U.S. since the Great Recession, by race, ethnicity and income. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2017/11/01/how-wealth-inequality-has-changed-in-the-u-s-since-the-great-recession-by-race-ethnicity-and-income/

 

Mitchell, T. (2021, September 22). 2. Views of racial inequality. Pew Research Center’s Social & Demographic Trends Project. https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2019/04/09/views-of-racial-inequality/

YouTube. (n.d.). https://www.youtube.com/embed/g93Y2or5XTw