Why is the reparations movement gaining momentum in the U.S.?

The call for reparations for people of African descent to compensate for slavery has a long history, but it has been discussed more broadly and gained support in recent years. Illinois, California and New York have established commissions to examine how to address the repercussions of slavery and racial discrimination, and several cities have done so as well. Last year, Evanston, Illinois, approved housing assistance to address past housing discrimination. Some higher education institutions, including Georgetown University, also have established reparations funds. Sundiata Cha-Jua, a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign professor of history and of African American studies, is the co-editor of “Reparations and Reparatory Justice,” published this month by the University of Illinois Press. He spoke with News Bureau arts and humanities editor Jodi Heckel. What are reparations, and why is the reparations movement gaining momentum now? Reparations are policies, procedures and practices that seek to compensate, repair and restitute individuals, ethnicities/nationalities or communities for exploitation, oppression, abuse and genocide. In 2000, 67% of Black people and 4% of white Americans supported reparations. By 2022, 77% of Black people and 18% of white people did. The Black reparations movement in the U.S. is growing because it has become apparent that...