California considers reparations over slavery

San Francisco officials said they will consider a proposal delivered Tuesday that would give $5 million dollars to each person who meets detailed criteria for reparations from U.S. slavery. The city formed a reparations committee back in 2020 after George Floyd, a black man, was killed by a white Minneapolis police officer. The committee’s final report is due in June. After that, it will be up to the city’s board of supervisors to decide their next steps. The California state legislature also has a committee working on a reparations report. 

What has the city’s committee proposed? The committee has suggested granting citizens an annual income and homes costing only $1, as well as eliminating debt and taxes. Those eligible would be at least 18 years old, have identified as black or African American on public documents for at least 10 years, and be descendants of black people who were in the country during the 19th century. Recipients would also be required to meet at least two of 10 other criteria.

Dig deeper: Read Andrée Seu Peterson’s column in WORLD Opinions about racism as an American industry.