Newsom signs apology for slavery, bucks reparations payments

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (TND) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an official apology Thursday for the state’s historical racism and discrimination toward Black residents. The apology, addressed to “African slaves and their descendants,” is one of several measures put forth by the Golden State’s Legislative Black Caucus and Reparations Task Force to receive the governor’s signature. Other such measures included bills to increase access to literature in prisons and recognize some college campuses as “California Black-Serving Institutions.” Gov. Newsom owned up to the state’s racist past in a press release, saying he intends to “make amends” with Black Californians. “As we confront the lasting legacy of slavery, I’m profoundly grateful for the efforts put forward by Chair Wilson and the members of the California Legislative Black Caucus,” the governor wrote. “The State of California accepts responsibility for the role we played in promoting, facilitating, and permitting the institution of slavery, as well as its enduring legacy of persistent racial disparities.” The lengthy apology acknowledges the fact that “well over 2,000” African slaves entered California from 1850 to 1860 despite having already become a free state. It also recognized California’s legacy of “extrajudicial police killings” and the creation of monuments dedicated to...