Black Bostonians demand more than $15 billion in slavery reparations

The Boston People’s Reparations Commission has demanded the city invest $15 billion in slavery reparations for the Black Bostonian community. Over 200 members of the community gathered at a Commission meeting at the Bolling Building in Nubian Square on Saturday. They discussed what reparations mean to them and reiterated their demand for $15billion to be invested ‘monetarily and through public policy that will be in effect for Black Bostonians for generations’. Head of the Commission Reverend Kevin Peterson told WCVB even though the group is asking for $15billion, it is ‘not enough’ as ‘every life is incalculable.’ As well as the $15 billion requested from the City, the Commission is in talks with Boston’s white churches about a possible $50 million payout. If $15 billion were to be granted and split up between the some 150,000 people living in Boston, this would mean each person would receive close to $99,998 – however it is not clear how the proposed reparation figure would be split up. According to the Commission, the enslavement of Africans in Boston began in 1638 and started a ‘legacy of social, political, economic and cultural injustice’. ‘At one point during the city history 1 in 10 Boston...