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African American slave family representing five generations all born on the plantation of J. J. Smith, Beaufort, South Carolina.

A Realistic Expectation of Reparations for Blacks

By Editors' Choice, Reparations

A direct cost of slavery is the cost of African-American life. How much is a life worth depends on a lot of personal factors. By Benny Williams, Ebony — Reparations owed to African-Americans in terms of dollars are insurmountable and nearly impossible for America to afford. No amount of money can repair the psychological damage African-Americans have experienced for centuries, and no amount of money can address the systemic racism that…

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Albert Woodfox was released from prison in 2016 after more than four decades.

After 40 years in solitary, activist Albert Woodfox tells his story of survival

By Editors' Choice

The former Black Panther and member of the Angola 3 reflects on how he turned his cell from a place of confinement to a space for personal growth. By Albert Woodfox, The Guardian — My wrists were handcuffed to my waist by a leather strap. These restraints would become standard for me for decades to come. They walked me to a car and I got in. A captain next to…

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Sen. Kamala D. Harris (D-Calif.), a 2020 presidential candidate, poses for a photograph with attendees during a campaign stop in Des Moines.

Democratic candidates are backing reparations for African Americans. That could be politically risky.

By Commentaries/Opinions, Reparations

By Eugene Scott, The Washington Post — Over the past few days, several Democratic contenders for the 2020 presidential nomination have come out in favor of reparations for people descended from slaves. It is an idea that is popular among African Americans, but one that poses political risks. On Monday, former housing and urban development secretary Julián Castro spoke out in favor of reparations on MSNBC’s “Hardball.” “It is interesting…

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Sen. Elizabeth Warren

What Americans Think About Reparations And Other Race-Related Questions

By Commentaries/Opinions, Reparations

By Perry Bacon Jr., FiveThirtyEight — The New York Times published a story last week about how some Democratic presidential candidates — notably Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris — had said that they are open to the idea of the government paying reparations to black Americans as a restitution for slavery. The two candidates were cautious in their statements on the issue — both to the Times and in a subsequent Washington…

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Kamala Harris

Embrace of reparations highlights pivotal Dem contest for black voters

By Commentaries/Opinions, Reparations

By Amie Parnes, The Hill — The most competition for black voters’ support in recent memory is set to take place among the candidates vying for the Democratic Party’s nomination to take on President Trump. African-American voters for years have been a key constituency in the Democratic race, helping to assure former President Obama’s and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s nominations in 2008 and 2016, respectively. But the fight this year…

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Sen. Bernie Sanders waves as he takes the stage at the Our Revolution Massachusetts Rally in Boston, Mass., on March 31, 2017.

Bernie Sanders Asks the Right Question on Reparations: What Does It Mean?

By Commentaries/Opinions, Reparations

By Briahna Gray, The Intercept — AFTER SENS. KAMALA HARRIS and Cory Booker were asked about reparations for slavery in a Breakfast Club interview last week, the issue quickly became hot on the 2020 campaign trail, with candidates Elizabeth Warren and Julián Castro quickly voicing their support for the policy. Last night, the reparations question surfaced again when Sen. Bernie Sanders was asked for his position during a CNN Town Hall hosted…

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Mark Meadows

Mark Meadows and America’s Problem with Racist Denialism

By Commentaries/Opinions

The first step is admitting we have a problem. By Mari Uyehara, GQ — On Wednesday, during Michael Cohen’s hearing in front of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, Republicans attempted a number of stunts to distract from the testimony of Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer on a great many questionable, possibly illicit, deeds. Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona, who is 60 years old, lobbed the familiar schoolyard taunt “Liar, Liar,…

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