Plan to give black Americans $25,000 each in slavery reparations could be rolled out across US
A PLAN to award black Americans $25,000 each as part of a slavery reparations program in a Chicago suburb could be rolled out across the United States.
On Monday, the Evanston city council will vote on a $400,000 round of payments to provide black residents with funds for home repairs, down payments, or mortgage payments.
The $10million fund was raised from a three percent tax on the sale of recreational marijuana as it tries to address inequity in housing.
Once the program is underway, other cities looking to establish their own reparations plans could look to as a model.
Yet, no specific funding has been identified to allow initiatives to move forward.
The movement for reparations has gained traction in the last year following months of Black Lives Matter protests in the wake of the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.
However, a poll from Reuters/Ipsos in June 2020 found that only one in five agree the US should pay damages to descendants of enslaved people.
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Opponents question whether taxpayers can afford to pay out trillions of dollars on a national program.
Others are sceptical that eligibility can be fairly determined.