Appointments made to state’s slavery reparations committee

ALBANY- Governor Kathy Hochul and leaders in the State Senate and Assembly earlier this week announced appointments to the state’s Community Commission on Reparations Remedies.  The commission, which was formed largely along party lines in 2023 and garnered some Republican support, is set to begin its work in the coming weeks. Slavery was fully abolished in New York by 1827 and the newly formed commission is tasked with fully examining the ongoing impact of slavery on New Yorkers. “As Americans, we have a solemn responsibility to reckon with our history and that includes understanding the painful legacy of slavery in New York,” Hochul said.  “We have assembled an extraordinary group of highly-qualified individuals to serve on the new Commission, and will review their final recommendations.” The commission has a broad mandate and is empowered to look at more than just the institution of slavery.  It is tasked with studying the lingering negative effects of slavery and discrimination on living people of African descent in New York and make recommendations including possible cash payments to decedents of individuals who were enslaved. Hochul and the Democratic leaders of the Senate and Assembly each had three appointments to the new commission. Hochul appointed...