Reparations for descendants of slaves debated in DC

WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — James Fisher said he’s a believer in reparations, especially given that he’s a descendant of slavery and that his relatives had land taken by eminent domain.

“Black people have been disrespected, overlooked,” Fisher said. “Our entire existence in America. So a reparations bill, something that White America does not want, would speak to all Black Americans or the majority of Black Americans in a respectful way.”

This is why Fisher supports D.C. City Councilman Kenyan McDuffie’s reparations bill – the first of its kind in the District. McDuffie introduced the bill last week with formal hearings and scores of experts and proponents from across the country.

“We deserve it. We’ve earned it,” Fisher said about reparations.

Advocates in the reparations movement see D.C. as a model for the nation since it is the country’s capital — even though other cities have explored, studied or approved of reparation programs.

But others say that any effort will likely be scuttled by Republicans in Congress who have not been in favor of federal reparations legislation. Congress oversees the District and can strike down laws public officials enact.

Still, many like Fisher said that it’s worth the fight. He believes that reparations should come in the form of land and not cash.

Fisher’s eighth-generation grandfather, George Pointer, was once a slave in Maryland but was freed. He purchased land in the 1800s. Fisher said that in 1928, his descendants were forced to sell that land — which eventually became a “whites-only” park. That land is now Lafayette-Pointer Park in D.C.

Jacelind Julien’s ancestors also owned land at the same park where now a sprawling elementary school now sits – and one that was segregated. That land, she said, was taken away for far less than its actual value, which is a sore sport for Julien and her family.

“We were uprooted from everything that we knew,” Julien said of what her ancestors went through. “We were forcibly removed from our lands, from our homes, our communities, our livelihoods.”

Julien said that so much “anger and sadness” built up in her family because “there were generations here and they lived, they worked, they toiled, they celebrated, they cried together. And for what” To be in their words, removed.”

City officials in Evanston, Illinois approved of reparations through housing given the long-standing discrimination in that community, becoming the first municipality to do so in America. Other places like San Francisco have had fierce debates about reparations.

McDuffie’s bill would create a nine-member task to figure out who is eligible for reparations and how that would be administered. The mayor would appoint five of the members.

The money for reparations would come from grants and also include funds collected from sales tax revenue and fees and penalties from the Department of Motor Vehicles.

For Fisher, it’s not about the money.

“My family is asking for our land back,” he said.