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 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 Rev. Amos Brown, SF Chronicle — For the city’s black community, it is long past time for San Francisco to prove it’s “the city that knows how” — to prove it knows how to make amends for its historic injustices to that community. As we mark the celebration of the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., it is time for San Francisco to establish a reparations…
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…
‘It was time to lead in urgency’ By Genevieve Bookwalter, Chicago Tribune — Hundreds of Evanston residents packed the sanctuary of First Church of God Wednesday evening to participate in…
Vantage Point Radio Recorded December 9, 2019 — On this WBAI pledge drive edition of Vantage Point, host Dr. Ron Daniels aka The Professor talks with guests guests Alderman Robin…
Reparations Initiative Touted as a Model. Danny Glover to Speak at Town Hall Meeting Download or print PDF version — here. New York, December 2, 2019 — Dr. Ron Daniels,…
By The Daily Northwestern — Evanston City Council passed a historic resolution Monday to establish a $10 million fund for local reparations, including revenue from the recreational cannabis retailers tax. Starting on Jan. 1, 2020, all of the city’s recreational cannabis retailers tax will be transferred to the reparations fund until the fund has reached $10 million in revenue from this source. The reparations subcommittee is currently discussing how money…
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