(Springfield, IL — January 21, 2025) – In a historic step toward economic justice and accountability, State Representative Sonya Harper of the Illinois General Assembly has introduced HB1227, to create the Enslavement Era Disclosure and Redress Act, marking a major milestone in the fight for reparative justice. This legislation means that any corporation or institution with ties to enslavement or the transatlantic slave trade discloses its historical involvement and provides redress if it wishes to do business with the State of Illinois. To formally announce the bill’s introduction and its significance, a press conference will be held on January 28, 2025, at 11:00 a.m., in Springfield, Illinois. Legislators, community leaders, and advocates will gather in the State Capital’s Blue Room to discuss the urgency of addressing historical injustices and the path forward toward corporate accountability and economic repair.

Holding Non-Government Complicit Actors Also Accountable for Historical Harms

HB1227 reflects growing momentum nationwide for economic redress policies that acknowledge and address the generational harm caused by enslavement. The bill would require corporations and institutions that have profited from the forced labor of enslaved individuals to fully disclose their historical involvement and commit resources for redress as a condition of conducting business with the state. “This bill is about truth, accountability, and justice”, said St. Rep Harper, lead sponsor of HB1227. “For far too long, corporations and institutions have reaped financial benefits from the legacies of enslavement without transparency or accountability. This legislation ensures that Illinois takes a stand in requiring corporate responsibility and economic redress for the communities still impacted by these injustices today.”

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“Corporate, institutional, and individual complicity to the crimes of the transatlantic slave trade and enslavement was very broad in the US. Many of these actors are still benefiting from and building on the stolen wealth. HB 1227 mandates a different form of complicity – complicity in the redress of those crimes. They must join in this effort to repair the harms inherited by the descendants of those they originally harmed.” Kamm Howard, lead advocate of the legislation and Executive Director of Reparations United.

Call for National Action and Support

The introduction of HB1227 is part of a broader national effort to hold corporations accountable for their role in systemic economic disparities affecting Black Americans. Advocates stress that Illinois is setting a precedent for other states to follow. “The slavery disclosure and redress legislation proposed by Reparations United under the leadership of Kamm Howard has the potential for being a milestone in holding Corporations and institutions accountable for benefiting from enslavement, which will open up a whole new dimension within the US reparations movement.” Dr. Ron Daniels, convenor of the National African American Reparations Commission.

Robin Rue Simmons, Executive Director of FirstRepair and pioneer of local reparations in Evanston, IL, stated, “Reparation legislation with transparency and redress from responsible corporations is a necessary step to repair past harm and the lasting impact. This legislation should be a guide and model for all localities and states practicing reparations.”

Media RSVP & Coverage

Journalists and media outlets are invited to attend and cover this landmark announcement. To RSVP or request interviews, please contact Kamm Howard at kamm@reparationsunited.org or call 773 520-0369. For more information about HB1227 and the upcoming press conference, please contact Reparations United through their website at https://reparationsunited.org or kamm@reparationsunited.org.

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