Transcript Reparations Bill

Reparations Bill
1. Originally introduced March 11, 1867 by Thaddeus
Stevens of PA (H.R. 29 – 40th Congress)
• Condemn property of confederate states
• 40 acres & mule to X-slave head of household
• $50 to build house
• Land title vested after 10 years
2. Jan. 6, 2009, Bill to create 7 member commission to
conduct $8,000,000 study of history and impact of
slavery & advise on slavery reparations
3. Proposed by John Conyers (D), Michigan (HR 40 –
111th Congress)
4. Title of Act: Commission to Study Reparation
Proposals for African-Americans Act”
First Annual International Peace, Justice &
Empowerment Summit 9/22-23/09
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Reparations Bill (cont)
5. Duties of the Commission
 Examine extent Federal & State governments supported slavery including
deprivation of freedom, exploitation of labor, destruction of culture,
language, religion & families (Constitution Article 1 & Dred Scott Decision, etc.)
 Examine economic, political & social discrimination against descendants
from end of Civil War to present (Insurance, banks, shipping investment
houses, loans, health care, failing schools, etc.)
 Examine lingering negative effects on descendants & society & examine
new forms of discrimination in public & private sectors
 Recommend appropriate ways to educate public of findings
 Recommend appropriate remedies/compensation
First Annual International Peace, Justice &
Empowerment Summit 9/22-23/09
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Reparations Bill (cont.)
6. Estimated costs to Africans in the Diaspora
• $10 billion yearly through
• Black-white wage gap
• Denial or capital access
• Inadequate public services
• Reduced social security/govt benefits
7. Other Reparation Pay-outs
• Native-Americans
• Japanese-Americans - WWII
• Philippines veterans – WWII
• Black survivors/family of syphilis
experiment
First Annual International Peace, Justice &
Empowerment Summit 9/22-23/09
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Reparations Bill (cont.)
7. Other Reparation Pay-outs (cont.)
• Florida payments to 1923 Rosewood survivors/relatives – 1994
• Oklahoma payments to 1921 Tulsa survivors/descendants
8. Black millionaires would not get pay-outs
9. Tax money to redress Black suffering would go to
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HIV/AIDS education & prevention
Under financed inner-city public schools
Expand job skills & training
Drug & alcohol counseling/rehabilitation
Computer access & literacy training programs
Improve public services for estimated 1 in 4 Blacks trapped in poverty
First Annual International Peace, Justice &
Empowerment Summit 9/22-23/09
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