At a time when the death of George Floyd has triggered a racial reckoning across the nation, Aldermen Shirley Coleman and Andre Vasquez must confront Chicago’s long, documented history of…
Public Education, Leadership Curricula and Public Policy Are Among Focus Areas Chicago, Illinois – Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference, Inc. (SDPC) and McCormick Theological Seminary (McCormick) are pleased to announce the formation…
Two white aldermen — Nick Sposato and Anthony Napolitano — voted “no,” ignoring an appeal from Ald. Jason Ervin, chairman of the council’s Black Caucus. Napolitano called slavery “the worst thing ever,” but said it “was done in the past. We can’t rewrite it.” By Fran Spielman, Chicago Sun Times — The long and winding road for Chicago to find a way to make amends for the impact of slavery…
Dr. Conrad Worrill of Chicago, Illinois founding member and National Chairman of the National Black United Front (NBUF) from 1985-2009 has made his transition to the realm of the Holy…
From indentured servitude to federal redlining, Evanston’s history is marked with colored lines. City officials and residents develop initiatives to address historical inequities with the recently established reparations fund. By Keerti Gopal, The Daily Northwestern — Maria Murray was 15 years old in 1855 when she was purchased out of slavery by a white family and brought to work as an indentured servant in their Evanston home. She was one…
By Bill Smith, Evanston Now — About 100 people gathered online Thursday evening to hear presentations supporting Evanston’s reparation program and calls for more funding for it. Alderman Robin Rue Simmons, 5th Ward, who heads the City Council’s reparations subcomittee, told the town hall meeting she’s seeking support from anyone interested in the program, including family foundations, major donors, institutions and individuals. Alderman Ann Rainey, 8th Ward, the third member…
By MG Media — Conrad Worrill (born August 15, 1941) is a writer, educator, activist, and former talk show host for the WVON call-in program On Target. Worrill’s activism has centered on the need…
By Bill Smith, Evanston Now — The head of the Evanston City Council’s Reparations Subcommittee, Alderman Robin Rue Simmons, 5th Ward, has outlined a scheduled for the committee that calls…
Evanston, Illinois, is levying a tax on newly legalised marijuana to fund projects benefiting African Americans in recognition of the enduring effects of slavery and the war on drugs By Eric Lutz, The Guardian — For years, Robin Rue Simmons watched Evanston, Illinois, “working hard” to resolve its racial disparities – but with little to show for its efforts. “Our gaps were widening,” the city alderman told the Guardian, citing the Chicago suburb’s…
By Bill Smith, Evanston Now — With a documentary video crew from New York recording the session, Evanston’s City Council Reparations Subcommittee met on January 10, 2020 to consider adding…
By Emma Edmund, The Daily Northwestern — Evanston has released an outline for creating and implementing a reparations plan, including a plan to possibly redistribute the funds in early 2021. City Council’s reparations subcommittee will expand this year to include additional experts and members of the community, according to a recent news release. Currently, Ald. Robin Rue Simmons (5th) and Ald. Ann Rainey (8th) are in the subcommittee. The subcommittee…
By Bill Smith, Evanston Now — After three months in which the Evanston City Council’s three-member reparations subcommittee held not a single public meeting, on Dec. 19, 2019 the city issued a press release announcing a schedule for a reformulated subcommittee to develop a reparations plan for submission to the City Council next year. At various times this fall members of the subcommittee that was appointed on Sept. 9 — Aldermen Robin Rue…