The African American Downtown Festival on Fourth Avenue in Ann Arbor, June 1, 2024. (Photo by Ryan Stanton | MLive.com) Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News
June 18, 2024 Story by: Editor
The City of Ann Arbor has decided to investigate the feasibility of implementing “municipal reparations” for its Black residents.
This decision came after the city council unanimously passed the resolution at their Tuesday meeting, held a day before Juneteenth.
City council member Cynthia Harrison, who sponsored the resolution, emphasized that reparations aim to address both historical and current injustices that have disproportionately impacted Black Americans.
“These injustices include slavery, segregation, and discriminatory laws and policies that have caused generational harm and economic disparities,” Harrison said.
She clarified that reparations are not about excluding or discriminating against any group but are intended to correct specific historical wrongs. “Addressing these inequities benefits the entire community by fostering a more just and inclusive environment,” she added.
Harrison was inspired to pursue this initiative after noticing a significant decline in the city’s Black population and Black-owned businesses.
The study will examine existing municipal reparations programs, such as the one in Evanston, Illinois, which aims to “revitalize, preserve, and stabilize Black/African-American owner-occupied homes.” Under this program, direct descendants of Black residents who lived in Evanston between 1919 and 1969 are eligible for payments.However, Harrison pointed out that reparations do not necessarily have to be financial. They could also take the form of an official acknowledgment of the specific harms experienced by Black residents and an apology. The specific form of reparations will be determined based on the study’s findings regarding feasibility. Source: WEMU
