William Rainer
While some parts of the country have talked about monetary ‘reparations’, a city called Evanston just outside Chicago is the first to put their money where their mouth is.
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This city’s take on reparations includes the use of tax money made by house sales. As reported by the New York Post, the total amount to be allocated for the project is $10 million at $25,000 an individual.
In order to receive the payment you must fit in the following categories: you must be a black resident and you must have been 18 years old or older having lived in the city between the years 1919 and 1969. According to Daniel Biss, Evanston’s mayor: “Our job here is just to move forward and to continue being that example, to continue illustrating that a small municipality can make real tangible progress.”
Suburb Of Chicago Begins Reparations Hoping Rest Of Country Will Follow Suit
While Evanston is taking steps towards repatriation, the money accumulated amounts to only a little more than $1 million. Beyond this, throwing some other people’s money at this particular issue has not appeased everyone. So far, of the 16 individuals to receive the payment in the city of 75,000 people, the recipients have argued the money doesn’t cut it. Others have claimed that the required dates are arbitrary. Despite all this, the Howard University Civil Rights Center president commented: “I see it as like a test run for the whole country.”
The rest of the country has yet to step in line. In some areas of the country like California, it seems to be a decision between will they pay up or continue to use the payout talk for political gain. The state has boasted a potential multibillion dollar reparation payment, in contrast with Evanston though, not a dime has been put forward.
