november 20, 2014

Tonight I had the opportunity to see Ta-Nehisi Coates speak at the University of Chicago Institute of Politics. For those of you who don't recognize his name, Ta-Nehisi wrote the article "The Case for Reparations" that ran in the June issue of The Atlantic this summer.

In the piece, which you absolutely must read if you haven't, he points out that when we think of reparations, people often dismiss it as something that was talked about ages ago, but is no longer relevant. He argues here that though slavery may have ended over a century ago, there has continued to be state-sanctioned and systemic means of keeping black people down have been far more recent (at least until the 1960's, if you're being unbelievably conservative) and that those actions and their consequences need to be honestly and meaningfully reckoned with.

His talk last night was deeply moving and enlightening and a wonderful addition to reading the piece. Here it is in its entirety, please find the time to watch (or just listen) to this.

Author's note: Ta-Nehisi mentions H.R. 40 during his talk, otherwise known as the Commission to Study Reparation Proposals for African American Act. Find a link to that legislation here and take the time to let your Representatives know that this is a question that we need to reckon with.