Chicago initiates reparations task force to address historical injustices
- The City of Chicago has launched a new task force to examine and address the harms inflicted on Black Chicagoans from the slavery era to the present day.
- This initiative is part of a growing movement towards reparations for descendants of enslaved Africans in the United States.
- Mayor Johnson signed an executive order to establish the Black reparations task force.
Chicago is taking a major step towards enacting a reparations program for descendants of enslaved Africans. Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order launching a Black reparations task force to address policies that have harmed Black Chicagoans from the slavery era to the present day. The task force will hold public hearings and conduct a study to develop plans for implementing reparations in the coming years. This initiative follows the example set by Evanston, where descendants of enslaved Africans have been receiving $25,000 in reparations funded by taxing cannabis sales. Former Chicago Alderman Sawyer emphasized the importance of finding a model that fits the City of Chicago, similar to the successful program in Evanston. The goal is to deliver reparations to the people of Chicago, particularly Black residents, to move towards complete liberation.