Black History

Congress Mulls Issue of Reparations on Juneteenth

WASHINGTON INFORMER — More than 150 years ago, enslaved Africans in the state of Texas, among the last in the Confederacy to be freed from physical bondage, received word of their emancipation in what has since been commemorated as Juneteenth, a holiday of great significance to Black people in the United States.

Published

5 years ago

June 23, 2019

Sam P. K. Collins

By Sam P. K. Collins

More than 150 years ago, enslaved Africans in the state of Texas, among the last in the Confederacy to be freed from physical bondage, received word of their emancipation in what has since been commemorated as Juneteenth, a holiday of great significance to Black people in the United States.

This week, as Black people across the southern United States celebrated Juneteenth, members of the U.S. House Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties hosted a hearing on House Resolution 40 (H.R. 40), a bill mandating the study of reparations for descendants of enslaved Africans who, to this day, continue to endure the residual effects of chattel slavery, Jim Crow and other manifestations of institutionalized racism.

“The question of slavery, frankly, has never been addressed, particularly from the institutional governmental perspective. And I’ve updated the language of the resolution, H.R. 40 and that is that it is a commission to study and to engage in proposals, recommendations on the question of reparations,” Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas 18th District), sponsor of H.R. 40, told Michel Martin on Sunday during NPR’s “All Things Considered.”

On Wednesday morning, Jackson Lee hosted the hearing for H.R. 40, the first of its kind since 2007, in the Rayburn House Office Building. Veteran actor Danny Glover and author and journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates were among those scheduled to testify in support of what’s also known as the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act.

Thirty years ago, then-Rep. John Conyers (D-Michigan 13th District) proposed the original H.R. 40 bill to no avail. From that point on, he reintroduced H.R. 40 every year until his retirement in 2017. Within that time, reparations had turned from a late-night television punchline to a serious matter, thanks in part to Coates’ 2014 essay “The Case for Reparations,” a detailed account of how the U.S. government disenfranchised descendants of enslaved Africans and continues to do so, more than a century after the Emancipation Proclamation.

In her NPR interview, Jackson Lee echoed that central theme, saying that the United States wouldn’t have earned its spot as a world power without the exploitation of enslaved Africans and their descendants.

“It really goes to, I think, more people understanding that 40 acres and a mule was a legitimate concept right after the Emancipation Proclamation and that never happened,” Jackson Lee said. “But yet cotton was king. It was an economic engine of the entire United States. And so the prominence of the United States today in the 21st century is grounded on the free brutal labor that Africans gave and their descendants.”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has reportedly expressed support for the study of reparations for the descendants of enslaved Africans. On the Senate side, Sen. Cory Booker (New Jersey), a Democratic presidential candidate, introduced accompanying reparations legislation that five of his opponents have co-signed, albeit without any expectation that it would survive Republican opposition.

Reparations has been a prominent topic of discussion among the two dozen Democratic presidential candidates. Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro has endorsed the idea, as has Booker and fellow Sen. Kamala Harris (Calif.), Amy Klobuchar (Minn), Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.) and Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), along with former Rep. Beto O’Rourke. Early in her campaign, best-selling author Marianne Williamson proposed $100 billion in reparations to be allocated toward economic and educational projects over a decade.

As stated in the Urban League’s 2018 “State of Black America” report, gaps in homeownership and other facets of a stable life in the U.S., persists between Black and white people. As recently as 2016, the majority of Black people expressed supported the idea of reparations. However, the question remains, among voters and candidates alike, of the shape the recompense would take, whether through a cash payout, tax credits and total restructuring of institutions.

Critics of H.R. 40, including activist and internet talk show host Yvette Carnell, said that the bill doesn’t have the specificity necessary to secure victory that belongs exclusively to African Americans, whom she refers to as American descendants of slavery. During the June 10 edition of her “Breaking Brown” program, Carnell tasked her followers with making demands for what she described as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“If a bill comes out of committee and makes it to the floor, it has to answer several key questions of who it goes to if you’re talking about reparations,” Carnell said. “The introduction has to be specific so it doesn’t get torn apart by committee. They can put it together with bills for Native Americans and other minorities and call it a minority bill. You have to be specific about who American descendants of slavery [are] and the mechanism for redistribution.”

This article originally appeared in the Washington Informer.

Sam P. K. Collins

Posts by Sam P. K. Collins

Up Next

College of Charleston African American Studies Professor Explains History of Juneteenth

Don't Miss

Dabls MBAD African Bead Museum New Gallery and Community Space Opening

Sam P. K. Collins

Click to comment

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

Published

4 days ago

April 19, 2024

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Black History

Matthew Henson: Explorer Extraordinaire

Matthew Henson, a trailblazing explorer who overcame countless obstacles to leave an incredible mark on history. Born on August 8, 1866, in Charles County, Maryland, his journey is a testament to the power of determination and the spirit of adventure.

Published

6 days ago

April 17, 2024

Oakland Post

Matthew Henson (File Photo)

By Tamara Shiloh

Henson’s life began amidst the backdrop of post-Civil War America, where opportunities for African Americans were scarce. From a young age, he possessed an insatiable curiosity about the world beyond his small town. At the age of 12, he embarked on a journey that would change the course of his life forever when he joined a merchant ship as a cabin boy.

His most famous expedition was his journey to the Arctic with renowned explorer Robert E. Peary. In 1887, Henson joined Peary’s crew as a seaman and quickly proved himself to be invaluable with his skills as a navigator and craftsman. Over the course of several expeditions, Matthew endured extreme cold, treacherous terrain, and grueling conditions as he and Peary sought to reach the elusive North Pole.

In 1908–09, Peary set out on his eighth attempt to reach the North Pole. It was a big expedition, with Peary planning to leave supplies along the way. When he and Henson boarded their ship, the Roosevelt, leaving Greenland on August 18, 1909, they were joined by a large group. This included 22 Inuit men, 17 Inuit women, 10 children, 246 dogs, 70 tons of whale meat, blubber from 50 walruses, hunting gear, and tons of coal.

In February, Henson and Peary left their anchored ship at Ellesmere Island’s Cape Sheridan, along with the Inuit men and 130 dogs. They worked together to set up a trail and supplies along the way to the Pole.

Peary picked Henson and four Inuit people to join him in the final push to the Pole. However, before they reached their destination, Peary couldn’t walk anymore and had to ride in a dog sled. He sent Henson ahead to scout the way. In a later interview with a newspaper, Henson recalled being in the lead and realizing they had gone too far. The group turned back, and Henson noticed his footprints helped guide them to their destination. At that location, Henson planted the American flag.

Henson’s legacy extends far beyond his expeditions to the Arctic. He shattered racial barriers in the world of exploration and inspired countless individuals, regardless of race, to dream big and pursue their passions. In 1937, he was finally recognized for his achievements when he was inducted into The Explorers Club, an organization dedicated to promoting scientific exploration and field research.

Matthew Henson died in the Bronx, New York, on March 9, 1955, at the age of 88.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Art

Marin County: A Snapshot of California’s Black History Is on Display

The Marin County Office of Education, located at 1111 Las Gallinas Ave in San Rafael, will host the extraordinary exhibit, “The Legacy of Marin City: A California Black History Story (1942-1960),” from Feb. 1 to May 31, 2024. The interactive, historical, and immersive exhibit featuring memorabilia from Black shipyard workers who migrated from the South to the West Coast to work at the Marinship shipyard will provide an enriching experience for students and school staff. Community organizations will also be invited to tour the exhibit.

Published

1 week ago

April 16, 2024

Oakland Post

Early photo of Marin City in the exhibit showing the first department store, barber shop, and liquor store. (Photo by Godfrey Lee)

By Post Staff

The interactive, historical, and immersive exhibit featuring memorabilia from Black shipyard workers who migrated from the South to the West Coast to work at the Marinship shipyard will provide an enriching experience for students and school staff. Community organizations will also be invited to tour the exhibit.

All will have the opportunity to visit and be guided by its curator Felecia Gaston.

The exhibit will include photographs, articles and artifacts about the Black experience in Marin City from 1942 to 1960 from the Felecia Gaston Collection, the Anne T. Kent California Room Collection, The Ruth Marion and Pirkle Jones Collection, The Bancroft Library, and the Daniel Ruark Collection.

It also features contemporary original artwork by Chuck D of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group Public Enemy, clay sculptures by San Francisco-based artist Kaytea Petro, and art pieces made by Marin City youth in collaboration with Lynn Sondag, Associate Professor of Art at Dominican University of California.

The exhibit explores how Marin City residents endured housing inequities over the years and captures the history of plans to remove Black residents from the area after World War II. Throughout, it embodies the spirit of survival and endurance that emboldened the people who made Marin City home.

Felecia Gaston is the author of the commemorative book, ‘A Brand New Start…This is Home: The Story of World War II Marinship and the Legacy of Marin City.’ Thanks to the generous contribution of benefactors, a set of Felecia’s book will be placed in every public elementary, middle, and high school library in Marin.

In addition, educators and librarians at each school will have the opportunity to engage with Felecia in a review of best practices for utilizing the valuable primary sources within the book.

“Our goal is to provide students with the opportunity to learn from these significant and historical contributions to Marin County, California, and the United States,” said John Carroll, Marin County Superintendent of Schools.

“By engaging with Felecia’s book and then visiting the exhibit, students will be able to further connect their knowledge and gain a deeper understanding of this significant historical period,” Carroll continued.

Felecia Gaston adds, “The Marin County Office of Education’s decision to bring the Marin City Historical Traveling Exhibit and publication, ‘A Brand New Start…This is Home’ to young students is intentional and plays a substantial role in the educational world. It is imperative that our community knows the contributions of Marin City Black residents to Marin County. Our youth are best placed to lead this transformation.”

The Marin County Office of Education will host an Open House Reception of the exhibit’s debut on Feb. 1 from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.. All school staff, educators, librarians, and community members are encouraged to attend to preview the exhibit and connect with Felecia Gaston. To contact Gaston, email MarinCityLegacy@marinschools.org