Just two years ago,
in 2021, The Senate unanimously passed
legislation to make Juneteenth (June 19) a
federal holiday. The House of Representatives
overwhelmingly passed the legislation with
just fourteen holdouts, mostly among Southern
Republicans. It is unlikely that this
legislation would get such overwhelming
support today, as so many oppose teaching
truth, opposing “critical race theory”, and
even simple teaching about race and
enslavement. Indeed, many might oppose
teaching about Juneteenth, which commemorates
the day that enslaved Black Texans learned
that they were free.
President
Biden described signing the Juneteenth holiday
legislation as “one of the greatest honors” of
his presidency. He said, “Great nations don’t
ignore their most painful moments, they
embrace them.” In embracing our painful
moments, however, the celebration of
Juneteenth is hollow unless it is accompanied
by some action. President has had the
opportunity to embrace HR 40, legislation that
would have authorized a Commission
to Study and
Develop Reparations Proposals for African
Americans.
First introduced by Congressman John Conyers
(D-MI) in 1989, and introduced in every
congressional session thereafter, the
legislation was later championed by
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) and
supported by more than 210 members of
Congress. With a Republican-dominated
Congress, HR 40 is unlikely to pass during
this legislative session, but the President
can still sign an executive order establishing
a Commission on Reparations. Granted, this
might be divisive as we move toward election
2024 with a nation acutely divided on matters
of race. Still, Biden must practice what he
preaches. In embracing the history of
enslavement, and commemorating Juneteenth, our
President must ask how we get past the history
to compensate the descendants of enslaved
people who still experience generational
trauma from enslavement.
California’s
governor Gavin Newsome established a
reparations commission that has now released
its report, with recommendation. San Francisco
has also issued a report, suggesting both
monetary and non-monetary benefits for San
Franciscans. Critics have focused on the
monetary awards these commissions have
suggested, and they would be better advised to
focus on the concepts, not the details. No
monetary benefit can compensate the
descendants of enslaved people for the wealth
gap, not to mention the psychological effects,
that slave descendants have experienced.
Suggestions that individual reparations run
into the millions of dollars alarm some, but
others understand that reports concluding that
large amounts are due represent a starting
point in negotiations, not an end point. The
most important thing is to recognize that
reparations are due and then to determine how
they should be paid.
“This day doesn’t
just celebrate the past,” President Biden
said, “It calls for action today.” But what
action? The Supreme Court is likely to
overturn affirmative action. Even as they
offered small hope in the Alabama
gerrymandering case, they are likely to rule
differently in other voting rights cases, let
alone discuss how reparations might be paid.
The reparations movement is growing,
especially the local reparations movement, and
people across racial lines are concerned about
the wealth gap and its long-term implications.
At the same time, resistance to Black progress
is growing and so-called law enforcement has
gone wild in attacking Black drivers, joggers,
walkers, and breathers. President Biden
deserves credit for signing Juneteenth
legislation. Will he do more in the
spirit of Juneteenth in these
politically divided times?
