Black History is American History. We celebrate our history every day of the year. From the time the first slave ship arrived on in this country, blacks have worked to build this country to what it is today. Black bodies funded the economy and our hands worked the land from cotton to vegetables. Our hands built the infrastructures and buildings that exist today. Black intelligence has made advancements in every sector from civil rights for everyone to science and medicine, to sports and entertainment. Black minds helped to advance technology including space technology and our inventions helped to advance human life and numerous aspects. Unfortunately, with all our contributions we have only received symbolic gestures of appreciation.
What African-Americans do not need nor want is politicians to kneel in Kente cloth, shout out dead rappers, and make empty promises. African-Americans need reparations. Reparations for slavery and the effect slavery has had on generations of African-Americans. African-Americans were taken from our home and from our families. We were taken from our land and separated from our families worse than the immigrants of today.
We were held in bondage. African-Americans were bred and treated no different than animals. We were abused and forced to work and be subservient. We served white people 24 hours each day. We were force fed their religion and it was used to make us obey our masters. Our men and women were beaten and sexually abused. Our women were forced to care and mother white children – even breast feed them. Our children were forced to be toys for white children.
Reparations is needed to help right the wrong of slavery. Reparation is needed for the continuation of systemic racism in every sector of life including education, health, housing, and employment. Reparation is needed for the mass incarceration of black people. Reparation is need for lynching, Jim Crow, slave catchers, and the current generation of policing. Reparation is needed for the fire-bombing and mob attacks on our family homes and communities that were completely destroyed by white terrorists. Some of those cities and neighborhoods include Tulsa, Rosewood, and Wilmington.
Black Americans need reparations for the many boys and men who were taken out of their home in the night by white terrorists. Our men who were then beaten and lynched as an example to blacks. Many who were never to be seen alive again. Reparations are needed for redlining and eminent domain laws and to take our homes and land to dictate where we could and could not live.
Reparations are needed for the inequality we continue to endure to this day. If this country can fund billions to support other countries and provide billions to states to provide support to businesses during a pandemic, then we can fund Reparations. If this nation can potentially provide compensation for immigrants who were separated from their families, then we can fund reparation for African-Americans. If you can support grocery workers and nurses striking for better pay and benefits, then you should support reparations for descendants of American slavery.
If black lives matter, diversity, equity, inclusion, and all the other cotton candy statements matter to you, then join the fight for African-Americans to receive Reparations. If civil rights really matter to you – don’t just put up a sticker or hashtag – but fight for the rightful apology and financial reparations African-American descendants of slavery deserve.