New York Governor Kathy Hochul recently signed a bill that will see the formation of a commission to explore prospects of providing reparations for slavery. The New York State Community Commission on Reparations Remedies, as it is now called, is a body aimed at acknowledging and studying the historical injustices, cruelty, and brutality of the slave trade within the state.
This move comes to light despite New York officially ending slavery by 1827, as recorded by New York Courts. Regardless of this early disengagement, the state’s economy had already greatly benefited from slavery.
In her statement, Governor Hochul acknowledged this harsh reality. “We like to think we’re on the right side of this…What is hard to embrace is the fact that our state also flourished from that slavery. It’s not a beautiful story, but indeed it is the truth,” she said.
New York is following similar actions across the US. In California, a reparations task force has presented a report with over 100 suggestions to support Black families after two years of dedicated study, as reported by Jurist. In 2021, the city of Evanston in Illinois became the first in the country to offer reparations, committing $10 million over a span of ten years.
In relation to this, the UN Human Rights Office released a report last September, advising that reparations should be made to people of African descent due to the enduring impacts of slavery and colonialism, as reported by Jurist. This global call to action proposes a comprehensive approach that includes possible financial reparations and places high importance on involving affected communities in drafting and implementing reparatory justice measures.
Despite these progressive strides, some have expressed concerns over the feasibility of the reparations for slavery, especially considering the financial implications. For example, Cicely Fleming, an alderman in Evanston, while supporting the notion of reparations, has criticized the city’s approach, stating in her official blog, that it feels more like a housing policy disguised as reparations, limiting the autonomy of Black residents in deciding their needs.
This article is based on information reported by Jurist.