On Jan. 31, 2024, California lawmakers introduced a first-in-the-nation reparations package.
The set of bills aims to reverse the damage done by centuries of racist policies towards Black Americans.
A history of Black Californians
California entered the union as a free state but the reality and practices often told a different story.
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More than 4,000 Black Americans were taken to the state between 1850 and 1860 mainly by plantation owners to work in the state's gold mines.
Even after slavery ended, practices of land theft, seizure, and disproportionate over-policing often took place.
A task force creates a report listing recommendations
Before the set of bills were introduced, the State of California put together a task force that looked into what form reparations would be considered, how expansive it would be, plus how to move forward with implementing them — if it gets to move forward.
The statewide task force submitted an extensive report with a list of recommendations.
“Reparations are so important because it rights the wrong in how we were treated, in terms of coming here as slaves to this country and how we were treated with the worst of the worst kind of slavery that could happen to an individual,” the President of Black American Political Association of California, Ellen Nash said.
Some areas the report plans to address are:
- who would be eligible
- form of payment
- how California plans to pay
- what programs will be recommended to address slavery's long-lasting damages
Black History Month
What areas would the bills address?
If passed, the set of bills introduced on Jan. 31 would address education, civil rights, criminal justice reform, health and business.
Legislative group California Legislative Black Caucus said in a press release it's “first step in what will be a multi-year effort to implement the legislative recommendations in the report.”
“As the author of AB 3121, I am pleased that the California Legislative Black Caucus has picked up the baton and is moving the state forward in addressing the recommendations delivered to them seven months ago,” California Secretary of State, Dr. Shirley Weber said.
During the statewide task force, people discussed how much the program would total and how much eligible people would receive if cash payments were distributed.
Notably in the set of bills introduced, very limited cash payments were discussed.
“While many only associate direct cash payments with reparations the true meaning of the word, to repair, involves much more! As laid out in the report, we need a comprehensive approach to dismantling the legacy of slavery and systemic racism,” California Assemblywoman Lori D. Wilson said.
