CHICAGO (TND) — Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson on Monday announced the creation of a “Black Reparations Task Force” devoted to creating a “Black Reparations Agenda” for residents.
The task force will study how the city’s policies have impacted its Black residents “from the slavery era to present day” and will create recommendations to remedy these wrongdoings, according to the announcement. Johnson said the move is more than simply talk.
“Today’s Executive Order is not just a public declaration; it is a pledge to shape the future of our city by confronting the legacy of inequity that has plagued Chicago for far too long,” Johnson said. “These decisive actions move us beyond words and are a testament to my administration taking on the responsibility of this work. Thank you to all for your unwavering dedication that has brought us to this pivotal moment toward a more just and equitable Chicago for all.”
Among other duties, the task force will hold public hearings for Black citizens “with lived experience of their harm” to voice concerns, educate the public on reparations and create a reparations “definition and framework.”
The legacy of slavery and its aftermath echoes, even today, and the executive order names the cumulative impact the legal institution of slavery, Jim Crow laws, and other discriminatory practices upheld by public and private institutions has had on Black Chicagoans, which include disparities in life expectancy, unemployment, homeownership rates, home value, incarceration, and more,” the announcement reads.
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The announcement follows a $500,000 investment by the city to study “reparations and restoration.” It also comes two days ahead of Juneteenth, a federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S.
Combatting the effects of racism has been a major priority for Chicago leaders. A city alderwoman this month said she is limiting the amount of crime updates sent out to her ward, citing an emphasis on values of “antiracism.”
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