New York City lawmakers have approved a series of bills aimed at investigating the city’s historical involvement in slavery and potentially providing reparations to descendants of enslaved individuals. The legislation, which still requires the signature of Democratic Mayor Eric Adams, aims to address the legacy of slavery, which officially ended in New York in 1827, but continued to benefit businesses like banks until around 1866.
Council Member Farah Louis highlighted that the reparations movement is not just about financial compensation but also addresses ongoing systemic oppression affecting Black communities, such as redlining and underfunded services. The bills call for the city’s Commission on Racial Equity to explore ways to address the impact of slavery and propose reparations, as well as establish a truth and reconciliation process to uncover historical truths about slavery in the state.
Among the proposals is the installation of a sign on Wall Street to recognize New York’s first slave market. The city’s commission will collaborate with a state commission also examining reparations, with the state’s report expected in early 2025 and the city’s recommendations due by 2027.
The city’s racial equity commission, formed as part of a 2021 racial justice initiative, was initially meant to consider reparations but instead led to the establishment of a commission tracking data on the cost of living and addressing past and ongoing harms. A cost analysis estimates that the studies required by the bills would total $2.5 million.
New York City joins other municipalities like Tulsa, Oklahoma, in studying reparations. Evanston, Illinois, became the first city to offer reparations in 2021, providing payments to Black residents impacted by discriminatory housing practices. San Francisco initially approved a reparations program but later deferred to the federal government, while a state-led reparations initiative in California was recently defeated in the Legislature.
