The August 15 Reparations Committee Meeting told a story of the black community’s sorrow and wrongdoings, but it also offered a story of hope for our black community. The commission comprises 100% black Americans, making sense as reparations are designed to correct the wrongdoings against blacks. It would be easy for me to comment or offer my opinions on the substance of the meeting, but it is much more accurate and effective to quote and paraphrase what was said. As you read through this meeting summary, use your own brain to draw your own conclusions.
Much of the session was led by a guest speaker from Chicago – Kamm Howard, National Director, Reparations United (@kammh) / Twitter). Howard pronounced that “we are making history.” The reparations movement will have national and international repercussions, and we are rising up for African descendants throughout the planet.
He explained how this movement’s energy was initially on the federal level, but now, it has changed to a more local movement (across the country). The movement organizers have sent letters to cities throughout the country asking for comradery.
Howard shared some specific methods he has seen used to gain reparations. He told the Asheville Reparations Commission that it would be necessary to have “slave disclosure laws.” Any company wanting to do business with blacks must research their history and determine their guilt—the more guilty, the more reparations. Slaves and convicts were worked to death by corporations that still exist today. Crimes and injuries continue currently. No more studies are needed. Africans all over the world have been wronged. Howard declared that the state of Black America in Chicago and Asheville is depressing.
Sample “slave disclosure laws”:
The Community Reparations Commission was told that the strategy is no longer to pursue individual issues. Howard said that a unified front is required and includes agreeing on three things:
- Slavery and Apartheid are crimes against humanity and have NO STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS
- The Root of all wealth stems from the slave trade. This is an international movement
- Crimes were committed, and reparations for those crimes are obligatory. The Reparations Commission will be the enforcement mechanism.
Howard made additional statements:
- White America has psychological issues.
- Wherever you see disparities, it is evidence of the slave trade and apartheid.
- Life expectancy discriminates against blacks.
- Black infant mortality can be blamed on slavery.
- Black kids murdering other black kids can be blamed on slavery.
- Blacks have lost their sovereignty and yearn to be a “nation within a nation.”
- Reparations must wipe out all traces of damage and be paid to individuals and the community as a whole. There are five components to reparations.
- Cessation
- Restitution
- Compensation
- Satisfaction
- Rehabilitation
- We cannot talk about direct payments to individuals except amongst ourselves.
- Don’t work with companies not led by black people
- Federal money should flow through our hands
Public comments offered by Dwayne McAfee included, “We need to attack. Rise up and fight. We are in a war.” (timestamp 2:13:00)
So, this was the “jist” of the August 15 reparations committee meeting in Asheville. The comments describe where reparations are headed, and questions about what other minorities may be entitled to reparations (Native Americans, for example) in the future were not discussed.
You can review the meeting RECORDING and the meeting AGENDA at these links.
