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Funding approved by D.C. Council to research reparations for Black residents


Washington, D.C. Council has secured funding in its 2025 budget to establish a commission to study reparations for Black Washingtonians affected by slavery and institutional racism. The $1.5 million in funding will go towards creating a task force to explore ways to deliver restitution to Black residents harmed by generations of racism and discrimination, starting with slavery. The task force will also work on developing proposals based on research to address the racial wealth disparities in the city.

Council member Kenyan R. McDuffie introduced the legislation to create the reparations commission, with the support of nine co-sponsors, making passage likely when it comes up for a vote. The legislation also calls for the creation of a database of slaveholding records to better understand the impact of historical events on the racial wealth gap. Patrice Sulton, executive director of the DC Justice Lab, sees the potential of reparations as a way to not only address economic inequalities but also promote community safety by reducing crime.

The establishment of this commission will mark an important step forward for Washington, D.C., as it joins other major cities and states in deliberating reparations. While the funding mechanism proposed by McDuffie has drawn some criticism for potentially leaving Black residents to pay for their own reparations, there is ongoing debate on how best to proceed. The commission will be tasked with studying feasibility and developing options, with questions about eligibility and distribution of reparations to be considered in the future. The debate surrounding reparations is expected to intensify in the fall as the council moves forward with this initiative.

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