Ten years ago, the idea of reparations for Black Americans felt like a pipe dream. But in recent years, cities and states nationwide have launched commissions to study reparations and, in one case, even made payments. Now, Atlanta is joining the ranks of places seriously considering reparations.
Earlier this week, the Atlanta City Council approved a resolution establishing the City of Atlanta Reparations Study Commission. The goal of the commission is to “research the extent of the City of Atlanta’s participation in the legal discrimination of African American residents and to provide recommendations for appropriate reparations.”
The resolution notes the long history of oppression Black Americans have historically faced in the United States, including slavery and Jim Crow and the continued economic inequality between Black and white Americans. That inequality is particularly pronounced in Atlanta.
Despite being a city with a sizeable wealthy Black population, the wealth gap between Black and white Atlanta is massive. Atlanta has some of the worst wealth inequality in the nation, with white families having a median household income of $83,722 and Black families having a median household income of $28,105, according to the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta.
All of that to say, the city has a lot of work to do if it wants to close the wealth and opportunity gap in Atlanta. So, what about direct payments? Well, council members say that’s not on the table. Atlanta City Councilmember Julian Bond, who is leading the reparations efforts, told Fox News that direct payments would not be possible under Georgia law but that other programs could be on the table.