On Saturday, the California Reparation Task Force approved recommendations to issue a formal monetary apology to Black Californians who have lived in the state for many years. The nine-member panel was the first of its kind to be formed in the United States, and the proposed plan includes calculated dollar figures based on categories such as mass incarceration, housing discrimination, and other alleged injustices.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, over 2.5 million Californians— about 6.5 percent of the state’s population— are Black, and could be eligible to receive reparations based on certain requirements. The final report states that Black communities impacted by mass incarceration and over-policing related to the War on Drugs could receive about $115,260 per person, or $2,352 each year they lived in California from 1971-2020. Black residents affected by lending and zoning redlining by banks between 1933 and 1977 could receive $3,366 each year they resided in California, capped at $148,099.
According to a New York Times analysis, a Black person living in California for 71 years— the average life expectancy of Black residents in California in 2021— could receive up to $1.2 million. The draft report states that apologies alone are inadequate to provide justice to victims or redress wrongs, but when combined with material forms of reparations, they provide an opportunity for communal reckoning with the past and repair for moral, physical, and dignitary harms.
If the plan is approved by lawmakers, a new agency will be established to oversee the program, determine eligibility, and distribute funds. The task force is scheduled to release the report by July 1.
Despite the potential for reparations, some people are not satisfied with the amount being proposed. One woman attending Saturday’s meeting said $1.2 million in incremental payments “is nowhere near enough” and asked for direct cash payments similar to the stimulus checks.
Yesterday it was announced that California defaulted on an $18.5 billion debt. Who will pay it back? The businesses in California according to federal government regulations. Meanwhile, Governor Newsom task force approved reparations payments and will submit a public apology… pic.twitter.com/dm988PWwkV
— ????????Travis???????? (@Travis_in_Flint) May 8, 2023
California has previously issued apologies for other injustices, including placing Japanese Americans in internment camps during World War II, mistreatment of Native Americans, and abuses in its eugenics sterilization program.
The reparation task force’s report could be a major step forward in providing reparations to Black Californians. If the plan is successful, it could provide justice and redress for many who have experienced discrimination and injustices in California.
