Fueled by the work of scholars and lawyers, their campaign has morphed in recent years from a fringe-group rallying cry into sophisticated, mainstream movement. Most recently, a pair of churches apologized for their part in the slave trade, and one is studying ways to repay black church members.
The overall issue is hardly settled, even among black Americans: Some say that focusing on slavery shouldn't be a top priority or that it doesn't make sense to compensate people generations after a historical wrong.
Yet reparations efforts have led a number of cities and states to approve measures that force businesses to publicize their historical ties to slavery. Several reparations court cases are in progress, and international human rights officials are increasingly spotlighting the issue.
"This matter is growing in significance rather than declining," said Charles Ogletree, a Harvard law professor and a leading reparations activist. "It has more vigor and vitality in the 21st century than it's had in the history of the reparations movement."
I am all for reparations as long as my family gets reparation for the those who died to give them the freedoms they currently enjoy.
I am from the North.
Some of my family died in the Civl War just so they could complain a hundred years later.
I would personally pay reparations, to any real, authentic, 175 year old slave that presents himself...
Have y'all ever noticed how the black leaders and white liberals in our country never, ever talk about stopping the foreign aid or use other means to stop slavery in Africa and other parts of the world?
Hmmmmm, perhaps its because they know that there is a snowball chance in hell of getting money out of it.
I see no evidence of slavery reparations gaining momentum. I suppose it is all in the company you keep?
Charles Ogletree, a Harvard law professor and a leading reparations activist.
Ok Charles open up YOUR checkbook and leave mine the hell alone.
I think I'll start a thread on DU for reparations to be included in the Dem platform in 2008.
The "Gimme, gimme, gimme more" crowd never stops. Blacks really shouldn't 'go there'. Taken to its extreme, they'd best head back to Africa and seek reparations from those fellow Black Africans who defeated and subdued their ancestors and sold them to the evil "White devils" for trinkets and loincloths. Seeking money and special privileges for pain and suffering they never experienced illustrates just how lazy, ungrateful and ignorant the 'Gimme' crowd really is.
I want to get paid for the three years my great grandfather was away from his farm and family fighting to end slavery.
Perhaps a formal apology from Congress would be in order, but I'm not for paying any sort of remission for slavery. For one, everyone who directly suffered is dead. For two, my family fought for the Union, and we paid in blood whatever we might owe.
(The Palestinian terrorist regime is the crisis and Israel's fist is the answer.)
"Slavery Reparations Gaining Momentum"
This is the funniest headlines all day. Whoever believes this, believes that Blacks are entitled to a federal income tax deduction for being Black. These Morons never cease amaze!
I have already offered to pay reparations to all my former slaves, but none of them accepted my offer of 40 acres and a mule.
I think a bunch of FEMA money is starting to dry up.