As a 16-year veteran the reparations movement in America, and current National Male Co-Chair of N’COBRA, I want to begin by thanking you for joining us in addressing a 600-year continuous attack on mankind. The longest and most inhumane in human history
Nearly 600 years ago a few monarchs in western Europe were given directives to go and wage unprovoked war on Africa and then the Americas. To seize the lands, usurp their wealth, slaughter their people in the process and subject the survivors to perpetual enslavement.
We have the documents, we have the players, we know their names.
The material success of these criminal and genocidal acts against humanity was so enriching to the initial perpetrating kingdoms, that neighboring monarchs wanted in, and a series of rules of engagement in this criminal conspiracy were formed.
The conclusion, the TransAtlantic Slave Trade, which entailed the destruction of West African kingdoms
and Indigenous American Genocide,
As many nations and peoples were exterminated completely in this process, new ethnic groups and nations emerged.
Today those groups are collectively known as people of African descent. Some have Afro before their names, like Afro-Brazilians and Afro-Columbians. Some go by national identities, like Jamaicans and Haitians. Here in America, we are known as Blacks, Black Americans, or African Americans.
However, people of African descent is a group designation for us all. This is an international designation that has its own well-defined meaning, status, and rights. This is important.
We know when we hear the designation “refugee” we know it is quite different in meaning from immigrant and migrant – although a refugee is a type of migrant, all migrants are not refugees. It is the same with political prisoner. Designated so because of his/her political stand in defying laws that many may consider unjust or unlawful. The point here is that Each conveys a particular status and rights on the individual and duties on behalf of governments.
People of African descent is similar in that essence. We are descendants of those Africans who were the victims of those original crimes set forth in those 15th-century directives. Directives that are still being relied upon in the US Supreme Court. We are descendants of those Africans whom the crimes of the Transatlantic slave trade were committed against. We are descendants of those Africans whom the crime of enslavement and its atrocities were committed against We are descendants of those Africans and their descendants of whom the crimes of Jim Crow Apartheid were committed against. Some of us even ARE those African descendants of Apartheid victims. And as their descendants, we are living and experiencing the injurious legacy of the accumulated harm from those crimes, as well as injury from post-Jim crow continued crimes and injustices.
That is who we are. People of African descent. Different from continental Africans. Different from immigrant Africans. Culturally similar, ancestrally connected, but different in historical experience and geography.
As a special designation, with special meaning, there are certain duties, obligations, and responsibilities on the part of the government s where those crimes were committed and are ongoing.
Recognized in the DDPA –the Durban Declaration and Program of Action, the outcome document of the historic 2001 World Conference Against Racism. people of African descent, generally, because of the centuries of atrocities we have had to endure, it is understood, will be at the bottom of every social/ economic indicator as a group no matter where we live.
Let me quote,
We further regret that the effects and persistence of these structures and practices have been among the factors contributing to lasting social and economic inequalities in many parts of the world today;
As such, there is an obligation on the part of governments to engage people of African descent in redress and reparations.
We also strongly reaffirm as a pressing requirement of justice that victims …., especially in the light of their vulnerable situation socially, culturally, and economically, should be assured of having access to justice, including legal assistance where appropriate, and effective and appropriate protection and remedies, including the right to seek just and adequate reparation or satisfaction for any damage suffered as a result of [those crimes].
This is extremely important as it moves the conversation away from race-based response to an internationally understood group and harm-based action. And the nation’s responsible for meeting this obligation is every branch. Federal, state, or regional, and local.
In discussing special measures, also an obligation on behalf of injured parties, the UN goes on to say:
[These] [m]easures’ includes the full span of legislative, executive, administrative, budgetary, and regulatory instruments, at every level in the State apparatus, as well as plans, policies, programs, and preferential regimes in areas such as employment, housing, education, culture, and participation in public life…
So here in America, we have historically targeted the federal government for a federal response. And we still are doing so, as we know the bulk of any significant repair will take the resources of the federal government to achieve.
However, as state-sponsored crimes, as local municipal-sponsored crimes also took place and are still taking place, these jurisdictions are, too, obligated to engage people of African descent harmed with reparations and special measures.
How we can better and successfully engage these local and state jurisdictions in that process, is why we are here today.
In taking part in this conversation. a collective effort to accomplish the goal of local repair is very promising.