Olympia Mayor Dontae Payne has taken a significant step in advocating for reparations for descendants of enslaved African people in the United States. Payne recently drafted a resolution, unanimously approved by the Olympia City Council, urging both Washington State and the federal government to establish a commission to study and recommend reparations policies.
This resolution marks a historic moment as Olympia becomes the first of Washington’s 281 cities to pass such a measure. It builds on similar recommendations within the state, including a 2024 unanimous vote by the Washington State Democratic Party and support from the Washington State Commission on African American Affairs.
The resolution highlights reparations as a mechanism for rectifying centuries of harm inflicted upon African Americans. It outlines potential measures such as direct financial compensation, land ownership, housing, education, and healthcare.
