US Slavery Reparations

Republican leadership in Congress and the White House might be wise to amend and pass H.R.40 - 119th Congress (2025-2026): Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act | Congress.gov | Library of Congress well before the midterms. I am inclined to suggest amendments along three lines. 

First, HR 40 should be reworked to draw a clear distinction between slavery as it was practiced in the British colonies under British law until 1783 and slavery as it was practiced under American law from 1783 until 1865.

Second, if HR 40 is going to explore "the role of Northern complicity in the Southern based institution of slavery," it should certainly also investigate the other side of the coin, i.e., the role of abolitionism, anti-discrimination, and post-slavery reconciliation efforts at the federal and state levels, including by the northern states. We don't want to erase the realities of slavery and discrimination from our history books, but we don't want to erase the realities of abolitionism and anti-discrimination from our history books, either. 

Third, HR 40 should impartially consider the allegation of disproportionate African American crime and determine the relationship of this allegation to the history of African American slavery and discrimination:

• Systemic Racism in Crime: Do Blacks Commit More Crimes Than Whites? | Online Library of Liberty
• The Chains of Slavery Still Exist in Mass Incarceration | Vera Institute
• Coleman Hughes on the Legacy of Slavery | by Yascha Mounk  

I welcome the work of the New York State Community Commission on Reparations Remedies and am in the process of watching the Commission's 15 February 2025 Public Hearing in Albany. Here is what I see at the top of Wikipedia about New York State in the American Civil War:

The state of New York during the American Civil War was a major influence in national politics, the Union war effort, and the media coverage of the war. New York was the most populous state in the Union during the Civil War, and provided more troops to the U.S. army than any other state, as well as several significant military commanders and leaders. New York sent 400,000 men to the armed forces during the war. 22,000 soldiers died from combat wounds; 30,000 died from disease or accidents; 36 were executed. The state government spent $38 million on the war effort; counties, cities and towns spent another $111 million, especially for recruiting bonuses.

The voters were sharply divided politically. A significant anti-war movement emerged, particularly in the mid- to late-war years. The Democrats were divided between War Democrats who supported the war and Copperheads who wanted an early peace. Republicans divided between moderates who supported Lincoln, and Radical Republicans who demanded harsh treatment of the rebel states. New York provided William H. Seward as Lincoln's Secretary of State, as well as several important voices in Congress.

From Wikipedia I also note History of Slavery in New York State and Abolitionism in the United States. The image at the top of this entry shows William Garrison, founder of The Liberator, which published from 1831-1865 and was followed by The Nation.

Once we determine that a national apology and reparations are necessary, there will be maximalist, moderate, and minimalist reparations positions. I would like to see arguments for each.

Looking back at the Biden administration, I am disappointed the former President spent well more than a hundred billion dollars on an unwinnable proxy war with Russia in Ukraine. That could have been $5 billion per year for 30 years in aid to the beleaguered African Union (cf. Statement by Dr. Ron Daniels on President Biden's apology for American slavery). But on the other hand, President Biden did relatively well: FACT SHEET: Celebrating U.S.-Africa Partnership Two Years After the 2022 U.S.-Africa Leaders' Summit | The American Presidency Project.