The San Francisco Board of Supervisors is reviewing a proposal that involves distributing $5 million each to eligible Black residents as reparations for slavery.
The plan, which has sparked much debate, also includes various other recommendations, such as providing grants for home purchases and maintenance and potentially exempting Black-owned businesses from paying taxes.
While San Francisco and California did not formally adopt slavery, advocates for reparations argue that systemic discrimination persisted even after its abolition.
However, opponents claim that it is illogical for individuals who did not own slaves to provide compensation to those who were not enslaved.
John Dennis, the Chair of the San Francisco Republican Party, has criticized the proposal as impractical and lacking analysis.
Additionally, some board members are concerned about the impact that the large lump-sum payments could have on the city’s budget, which is already facing a considerable deficit.
The African American Reparations Advisory Committee continues to advocate for its reparations plan, despite the controversy surrounding it.
If implemented, San Francisco could become the first major U.S. city to fund a reparations policy for slavery.