A House Judiciary Hearing on slavery reparations for African Americans was held Wednesday morning in Washington, D.C. The likes of writer Ta-Nehisi Coates, actor Danny Glover, 2020 presidential hopeful Senator Cory Booker and former Bennett College President Dr. Julianne Malveaux testified before the House Judiciary subcommittee for a House resolution on reparations.
Sponsored by Texas Rep. Shelia Jackson Lee but first introduced by the former Michigan Rep. John Conyers, H.R. 40 would create a commission aimed at studying and developing reparations for African Americans. This all took place during Juneteenth, a day commemorating the emancipation of enslaved Black people in Texas.
Booker, who has been a long-time advocate for a form of reparations, testified that he believed that America had yet to really “acknowledge” the impact of slavery.
“[America has] yet to truly acknowledge and grapple with the racism and white supremacy that tainted this country’s founding and continues to cause persistent and deep racial disparities and inequality,” Booker said. “These disparities don’t just harm black communities, they harm all communities.”
When Coates presented his testimony, he decided to not only address the question of reparations, but also the idea that since it was so long ago that there was no need for any type of restitution for the descendants of enslaved people. Coates directly addressed comments made by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday.
“I don’t think that reparations for something that happened 150 years ago, for whom none of us currently living are responsible, is a good idea. We tried to deal with our original sin of slavery by fighting a Civil War, by passing landmark civil rights legislation. We elected an African American president,” McConnell said.
Coates noted that today’s America would not exist without the work of enslaved Black people and he condemned the senator’s comments with an epic clap back.
“Majority Leader McConnell cited civil-rights legislation yesterday, as well he should, because he was alive to witness the harassment, jailing, and betrayal of those responsible for that legislation by a government sworn to protect them. He was alive for the redlining of Chicago and the looting of black homeowners of some $4 billion,” Coates said. “Victims of that plunder are very much alive today. I am sure they’d love a word with the majority leader.”
He also mentioned that McConnell was alive when 14-year-old George Stinney was executed and when WWII veteran Isaac Woodard was attacked in the south while in uniform and permanently blinded.
Malveaux reminded white people that even though slavery took place centuries ago, or even if their ancestors did not actively participate in slave trading, they still, directly and indirectly, have benefited from slavery.
Glover also told a moving story about being the grandson of a former enslaved person and urged the importance of “radical change to the structure of our society.”
There were two Republican witnesses, both Black, who believed that reparations are a bad idea. Former NFL player Burgess Owens argued that if Black people worked hard, they could achieve the American dream. He also claimed that the biggest problem for Black people is illegal immigration. The other witness, Coleman Hughes, was booed by the audience when he argued against reparations.
Black Twitter was definitely full of reaction and very divided on the issue of reparations with many finding hope in the hearing while others thought it was a complete waste of time.
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A couple of things #HR40 hearing is reinforcing:
— Greg Carr (@AfricanaCarr) June 19, 2019
1. The need to study the long #Reparations movement and it’s well-established objectives is greater now than ever;
2. Supporters of White American nationalism can find an American Negro to say anything they need them to.
2.
It's important to continue to have the conversion about #reparations This is one of my favorite speeches of the late Martin Luther King "...we are coming to get it check" #Juneteenth pic.twitter.com/sxKbjxncKP
— Essence Of Today (@DarkQueenJ_) June 19, 2019
3.
I’m getting quite tired of hearing and seeing white people debate whether or not we need #Reparations. Don’t cut me a check. Make a world where I don’t get scared that my 15 year old brother will be shot for wearing a hoodie and sweatpants
— Aniya (@AniyaBrown_) June 19, 2019
4.
"If Thomas Jefferson matters, so does Sally Hemings" - Ta-Nehisi Coates at the #HR40 committee meeting on #Reparations. pic.twitter.com/c6lUQToLxl
— Derek Litvak (@TheTattooedGrad) June 19, 2019
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Jim Crow, redlining, mass incarceration, lynchings that CONTINUED to take place AFTER emancipation, discrimination, exploitation. We were the NON-CONSENTING human testers before the rats. And after all of that (& more) you still ask why #reparations are owed. Are you kidding me?
— Genevia Dede (@persevere_fit) June 19, 2019
7.
To all the white folks saying that they don’t owe anything....
— Chester Davis, Jr 🇺🇸 (@CDjLive) June 19, 2019
Here’s the deal: you’ve been benefiting all this time from the foundational wealth created by slaves. America wouldn’t be the country it is today if it weren’t for slavery.
#ReparationsHearing
8.
.@drjlastword is giving me LIFE! #ReparationsHearing pic.twitter.com/kIrhtZTJzG
— Kirsten West Savali (@KWestSavali) June 19, 2019
9.
.@BurgessOwens they always find one negro who undermines the movement to impress white folks. You are doing your job well. smh #reparationshearing #Juneteenth2019
— Tamika D. Mallory (@TamikaDMallory) June 19, 2019
10.
this #ReparationsHearing is completely pointless and time wasting. What exactly are they studying? The only discussion should be on the dollar amount of the check.
— QP (@IamQuidpro) June 19, 2019
11.
MAXINE SHAW IS IN THE HOUSE YALL!! #reparationshearing #HR40HEARINGS pic.twitter.com/ismHzz6akD
— Mattie Moss's Glasses (@clayfilms) June 19, 2019
12.
This mane just said "...white people we forgive you" .... #ReparationsHearing pic.twitter.com/zVpfnPMZKz
— k (@justgawgeous) June 19, 2019
13.
Meet my great-grandma; she's 98 years old, her mother lived until she was 104. My family deserves #Reparations. #ReparationsHearing pic.twitter.com/ZH6kcDj3R8
— Social Media Strategist & Culture Expert (@KoolAsJas) June 19, 2019
14.
Is Burgess Owens the father of Candice Owens? He keeps saying Democratic Party uhhh Yes but fails to accept TODAYS (1964 - present) GOP policies and practices #reparationshearing
— James Green (@SuccessMinded) June 19, 2019
15.
Reparations is a revolutionary act.
— ghetto intellectual™ (@kzshabazz) June 19, 2019
You cant get reparations from a govt that is actively trying to destroy you and African people globally. What you are actually asking for is some modicum of relief and reform. Huey Newton might call it a "survival strategy." #ReparationsHearing
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Live footage of Burgess Owens at the #reparationshearing pic.twitter.com/JUrMnaZTdx
— - (@Pisceanluvher) June 19, 2019
18.
#ReparationsHearing 😂😂😂
— Brannu Sunyata (@BrannuSunyata) June 19, 2019
Y’all really gonna listen to people talk bullshit about OUR history as if they are qualified to speak on it? Nah. They didn’t ask to dehumanize us. They didn’t ask to steal this land.
I ain’t asking for freedom. I’m taking it. #FreedomOrDeath
19.
Let’s not steal the American Dream from our kids by telling them they can’t do [because of slavery]. So well said. #ReparationsHearing #Reparations2020 https://t.co/KqtubZfvzz
— Patrice Lee Onwuka 🇫🇰🇺🇸 (@PatricePinkFile) June 19, 2019
20.
Burgess ... #ReparationsHearing pic.twitter.com/zqRAHgLHcK
— k (@justgawgeous) June 19, 2019
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Colman Hughes #reparationshearing pic.twitter.com/D5AACuZH4y
— Beezy. (@ASHLEY_BEEZY) June 19, 2019
23.
#reparationshearing on education and school choice:
— PeeplesVoice (@PeeplesChoice85) June 19, 2019
"We have kids stuck in failing schools because we have a party that's against them moving on." pic.twitter.com/oPDVE7EOv5
24.
So many African Americans have done SO much with so little. Isn't it time? #reparationshearing
— Anne C. Bailey Recent book: The Weeping Time (@annebailey63) June 19, 2019