National

Obama Urged to Appoint Reparations Commission

Published

10 years ago

July 14, 2015

Oakland Post

Ron Daniels (Courtesy Photo)

By Freddie Allen
Senior Washington Correspondent

WASHINGTON (NNPA) – In the wake of the mass murder of nine Black church members in Charleston, S.C. and the rash of unsolved fires at Black churches in the South, a coalition of Black groups are calling on President Barack Obama to issue an executive order to establish a “reparatory justice” commission.

“This is a moment in which you have to act and we believe that from Ferguson to Baltimore to Charleston and obviously before that there is an urgent need to ask why this keeps happening and to definitely have the kind of conversation and action to move the nation forward,” said Ron Daniels, the president of the Institute of the Black World 21st Century (IBW) and the convener of the National African-American Reparations Commission (NAARC), a group of Black leaders that represent educational, health, advocacy and faith-based organizations.

Daniels said that the uprising in Baltimore triggered by the murder of Freddie Gray exposed the deep-seated isolation and racial disparities that exist in that city and other urban centers across the nation that clearly illustrate the ongoing impact of White supremacy in this country.

“It’s not always people that are overtly hostile, sometimes people don’t see and understand the plight of Black people,” said Daniels.

White people look at things one way and Black people look at things a different way, said Daniels, adding that some White people simply don’t understand the implicit bias that President Barack Obama addressed during his eulogy for Rev. Clementa Pinckney, the pastor of Emanuel A.M.E Church who was one of nine people shot to death during a Bible study at the church on June 17.

“There needs to be an aggressive approach by this country which does not deny or hide, but confronts and addresses the issues [affecting Black people] and provides the appropriate level of action and initiative for reparatory justice for people of African descent,” said Rev. JoAnn Watson, a NAARC Commissioner and a former member of the Detroit City Council.

Watson said that the approach addressed in the request for a reparatory justice commission is long overdue, because many initiatives that have preceded the NAARC proposal have gone unfulfilled and unfinished.

Watson noted that Special Field Order Number 15, issued by General William T. Sherman in January of 1865 in an effort to secure 400,000 acres for freed slaves, was later rescinded by President Andrew Johnson following the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. The Freedman’s Bureau, formerly called the U.S. Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands, was created by Congress at the end of the Civil War to assist former slaves in the South in the aftermath of the war, was unceremoniously defunded and shuttered about seven years after the agency opened.

The commission seeks to address racial disparities in housing, public education and the criminal justice system through specific policy reforms and may also recommend additional funding for Black colleges and universities and a constitutional amendment to cement voters’ rights.

In a letter to President Obama, the group called White supremacy and racism deadly diseases infecting the social, economic and political fabric of the nation.

“As you have related Mr. President, despite progress since the era of enslavement, Jim Crow and de facto discrimination/segregation, the ‘badges and indicia’ of the longstanding exploitation and oppression of people of African descent are reflected in the devastating disparities in health, education, housing, employment, economic development, wealth and incarceration rates which harm large numbers of Black people each and every day in this land of enormous prosperity,” the letter said.

It continued, “Despite these realities, polls and studies indicate that a substantial number of White Americans fail to see or are in denial about the stubborn persistence of racism and its effects on Black people. In fact, there is a tendency to blame Blacks for the conditions our people find themselves in and/or to express ‘racial resentment’ of the perceived progress of Blacks, as being a function of encroaching on the success of Whites. Even among well meaning, sympathetic Whites, there is often a failure to recognize how implicit bias colors the countless decisions which constrain or kill the aspirations of Black people in this nation.”

Instead of becoming more optimistic about race relations after the election of the nation’s first Black president, a joint survey conducted by the Pew Research Center (PRC) and USA Today in August 2014 found that Black respondents have grown more pessimistic.

“Majorities of Blacks (64 percent) and Whites (75 percent) say the two races get along at least pretty well, though fewer blacks express this view than did so four years ago (76 percent),” a report on the survey said. “In 2007, 69 percent of Blacks said Blacks and Whites get along very well or pretty well.”

In the same poll Black and White respondents expressed contrasting views on the performance of local police departments.

“Fully 70 percent of Blacks say police departments around the country do a poor job in holding officers accountable for misconduct; an identical percentage says they do a poor job of treating racial and ethnic groups equally.],” the survey respondents reported. “And 57 percent of African Americans think police departments do a poor job of using the right amount of force.”

Just 27 percent of Whites said that police departments do a poor job holding officers accountable and 23 percent of Whites said that police forces do a poor job using the right amount of force.

Nearly two-thirds (62 percent) of White respondents said that police officers do a good or fair job treating racial and ethnic groups equally, but less than 30 percent of Blacks felt the same way.

In a statement, Kamm Howard, a leader of the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America (NCOBRA) and a member of the NAARC, said that an executive order creating the commission will help to re-frame the national discussion of reparatory justice around the international standards of full repair.

“This includes halting many discriminatory practices, efforts aimed at restoring and making whole our peoplehood, a variety of compensatory polices, dignity enhancing projects, programs and policies as well as various modalities that initiate healing from post-traumatic slavery syndrome and its many manifestations,” said Howard.

Watson, the former Detroit City Council member, dismissed the idea that the sharp racial discrimination and animosity towards Blacks that sparked the Civil Rights Movement is a thing of the past.

“Black church burnings are occurring presently,” Watson said. “The Charleston, S.C. massacre was in our present. That was not a lone gunman.”

According to Watson, America has blood on its hands as a result of a subculture that has been allowed to ferment in the hands of the same people that continued to enslave Blacks for two and half years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863.

Instead of only turning to conversations about race during tragedies or sensational, ratings-driven stories in mainstream media, Daniels suggested that the commission could be the impetus for sustained, meaningful and fact-based conversations about race led by scholars, activists and community stakeholders in cities across the U.S. Now that the nation’s attention is focused on race relations, Daniels said that it’s time to systematically and seriously address “state of emergency in America’s dark ghettos.”

Watson agreed, adding that the commission should be established during President Obama’s final years in office.

Watson said: “This is the appropriate time, the right place and an absolute opportunity for this nation to step up and fulfill the promises that have been made and not kept.”

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Activism

2025 in Review: Seven Questions for Assemblymember Lori Wilson — Advocate for Equity, the Environment, and More

Her rise has also included several historic firsts: she is the only Black woman ever appointed to lead the influential Assembly Transportation Committee, and the first freshman legislator elected Chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus. She has also been a vocal advocate for vulnerable communities, becoming the first California legislator to publicly discuss being the parent of a transgender child — an act of visibility that has helped advanced representation at a time when political tensions related to social issues and culture have intensified.

Published

3 hours ago

December 29, 2025

Oakland Post

Assemblymember Lori D. Wilson (D-Suisun City). File photo.

By Edward Henderson, California Black Media

Assemblymember Lori D. Wilson (D-Suisun City) joined the California Legislature in 2022 after making history as Solano County’s first Black female mayor, bringing with her a track record of fiscal discipline, community investment, and inclusive leadership.

She represents the state’s 11th Assembly District, which spans Solano County and portions of Contra Costa and Sacramento Counties.

California Black Media spoke with Wilson about her successes and disappointments this year and her outlook for 2026.

What stands out as your most important achievement this year?

Getting SB 237 passed in the Assembly. I had the opportunity to co-lead a diverse workgroup of colleagues, spanning a wide range of ideological perspectives on environmental issues.

How did your leadership contribute to improving the lives of Black Californians this year?

The Black Caucus concentrated on the Road to Repair package and prioritized passing a crucial bill that remained incomplete during my time as chair, which establishes a process for identifying descendants of enslaved people for benefit eligibility.

What frustrated you the most this year?

The lack of progress made on getting Prop 4 funds allocated to socially disadvantaged farmers. This delay has real consequences. These farmers have been waiting for essential support that was promised. Watching the process stall, despite the clear need and clear intent of the voters, has been deeply frustrating and reinforces how much work remains to make our systems more responsive and equitable.

What inspired you the most this year?

The resilience of Californians persists despite the unprecedented attacks from the federal government. Watching people stay engaged, hopeful, and determined reminded me why this work matters and why we must continue to protect the rights of every community in our state.

What is one lesson you learned this year that will inform your decision-making next year?

As a legislator, I have the authority to demand answers to my questions — and accept nothing less. That clarity has strengthened my approach to oversight and accountability.

In one word, what is the biggest challenge Black Californians are facing currently?

Affordability and access to quality educational opportunities.

What is the goal you want to achieve most in 2026?

Advance my legislative agenda despite a complex budget environment. The needs across our communities are real, and even in a tight fiscal year, I’m committed to moving forward policies that strengthen safety, expand opportunity, and improve quality of life for the people I represent.

Oakland Post

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Activism

2025 in Review: Seven Questions for Assemblymember Tina McKinnor, Champion of Reparations, Housing and Workers’ Rights

In 2025, McKinnor pushed forward legislation on renters’ protections, re-entry programs, reparations legislation, and efforts to support Inglewood Unified School District. She spoke with California Black Media about the past year and her work. Here are her responses.

Published

3 hours ago

December 29, 2025

Oakland Post

Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood). File photo.

By Joe W. Bowers Jr., California Black Media

Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood) represents

California’s 61st Assembly District.

As a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC),

McKinnor was elected in 2022. She chairs the Los Angeles County Legislative Delegation and leads the Assembly Public Employment and Retirement Committee. McKinnor also served as a civic engagement director, managed political campaigns, and worked as chief of staff for former Assemblymembers Steven Bradford and Autumn Burke.

Looking back on 2025, what do you see as your biggest win?

Assembly Bill (AB) 628. If rent is $3,000, people should at least have a stove and a refrigerator. It’s ridiculous that people were renting without basic appliances.

I’m also proud that I was able to secure $8.4 million in the state budget for people coming home from incarceration. That includes the Homecoming Project, the menopause program for incarcerated women, and the Justice Leaders Program.

How did your leadership help make life better for Black Californians this year?

After the Eaton Fire, I pushed to get the same kind of support for affected areas that wealthier regions get after disasters.

I also did a lot of work building political power— establishing the Black Legacy PAC and California for All of Us PAC so we could support Black candidates and educate voters. We also called voters to make sure they understood Prop 50.

People need to understand this: there are only 12 Black legislators in the Capitol. Folks act like we can just walk in and pass reparations, but that’s not how it works.

What frustrated you most this year?

The governor did not have the political will to sign these bills: AB 57 and AB 62. They both passed overwhelmingly in the Assembly and the Senate. We did the work. The only person who didn’t have the political will to sign them was the governor.

The public needs to ask the governor why he didn’t sign the bills. We can’t keep letting people off the hook. He has to answer.

I also introduced AB 51 — the bill to eliminate interest payments on Inglewood Unified School District’s long-standing state loan — held in the Appropriations Committee. That was frustrating,

What inspired you most in 2025?

The civil rights trip to Alabama was life changing. We visited the Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice. We took members of the Black, Latino, Jewish, and API caucuses with us. It changed all of us.

People aren’t always against us — they just don’t know our history.

What’s one lesson from 2025 that will shape how you approach decisions next year?

The legislative trip to Norway taught me that collaboration matters. Government, labor, and industry sit down together there. They don’t make villains. Everybody doesn’t get everything they want, but they solve problems.

What’s the biggest challenge facing Black Californians in one word?

Inequity. It shows up in housing, wealth, stress – all these things.

What’s the number one goal you want to accomplish in 2026?

Bringing back AB 57 and AB 62, and securing money for the Inglewood Unified loan interest forgiveness.

Oakland Post

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Black History

Alfred Cralle: Inventor of the Ice Cream Scoop

Cralle learned carpentry, mechanics, and blacksmithing at a young age. These skills would later become essential in his innovative work. As a young man, he moved to Washington, D.C., where he worked as a porter in hotels and at an ice cream shop. It was there that he first noticed a common problem: scooping ice cream was messy and inefficient. Servers struggled because the ice cream stuck to spoons and ladles, and getting the right shape and portion was difficult. Many needed two hands — one to scoop and one to scrape the ice cream off the spoon.

Published

3 hours ago

December 29, 2025

Oakland Post

A rendering of Alfred L. Cralle’s ice cream scoop. Public domain.

By Tamara Shiloh

Alfred L. Cralle, an African American inventor and entrepreneur, forever changed the way the world enjoys ice cream. Born on Sept. 4, 1866, in Kenbridge, Virginia, Cralle grew up during Reconstruction — a time when opportunities for African Americans were still extremely limited. Despite the challenges of the era, he demonstrated curiosity, creativity, and a natural ability to understand how tools and machinery worked.

Cralle believed there had to be a better way.

Using his mechanical training, he began sketching and experimenting with ideas for a tool that could scoop ice cream easily using one hand. After refining his design, he developed what would become a simple yet brilliant invention: the Ice Cream Mold and Disher. On Feb. 2, 1897, Cralle received U.S. Patent No. 576,395 for the device.

His invention — what we now call the ice cream scoop — was groundbreaking. It featured a built-in scraper that automatically released the ice cream with a single squeeze of the handle. Durable, easy to use, and requiring only one hand, the scoop made serving faster and more consistent. His design was so effective that the basic mechanism is still used today in homes, restaurants, and ice cream shops around the world.

Although his invention became widely used, like many African American inventors of his time, he did not receive the compensation or widespread recognition he deserved. Racial barriers prevented him from fully benefiting from his own creation, even as businesses embraced the tool and the popularity of ice cream continued to grow.

After patenting the scoop, Cralle moved to Pittsburgh. There, he worked as a porter for the luxurious Sterling Hotel and later became a successful businessman. He remained active in his community and continued to create opportunities for himself despite the limitations faced by African Americans at the turn of the 20th century.

Tragically, Cralle died in 1920 at age 54, leaving behind a legacy that would only be fully appreciated long after his passing. Today, he is remembered as the brilliant mind behind one of the most widely used and universally loved kitchen tools.