Every congressional session since 1989, Rep. John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) has introduced H.R. 40, the "Commission to Study Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act". In 25 years, H.R. 40 has never made it to the House floor.
In light of the rapid re-segregation of school districts released from desegregation orders, evidence of racially-targeted predatory lending prior to the 2008 financial crisis, and the otherwise evident incompatibility of "color-blindness" with social justice, it is clear that we - as Americans - have not come to terms with the facts or legacies of white supremacy.
We call on the Executive to lead where Congress will not : in owning and understanding 395 years of racial injustice so that we may - through informed legislation - avoid producing 395 more.