The idea of reparations is not controversial until the conversation turns to Black people – Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The concept of reparations is not particularlycontroversial until, well, theconversation turns toBlack people.

Think about it, Native Americans have received reparations. Japanese, who were in internment camps received reparations. Jewish people have received reparations, and 9/11 victims received reparations, said Dr. Andre Perry, an author and a senior fellow with the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program.

Perry, author of the book Know Your Price: Valuing Black Lives and Property in Americas Black Cities,"was the keynote speaker at a recentGreater Milwaukee Foundation program A Milwaukee for All,which is aimed at getting Milwaukeeans to focus on economic inclusion. More than 200 participated in the discussion.

Perrycovered a number of issues including early childhood education,housing equity,neighborhood and community development,social activism,and the role of the philanthropic community. But near the end of his talk, Perry was asked by Ellen Gilligan, the foundation's presidentand CEO,about reparations.

Reparations, very plainly put, is redress for injury caused largely by government and private stakeholders that had a demonstrable effect on those individuals and their families, he said.

With the 10 to 1 wealth gap between Black peopleand white peoplein this country, it's clear there is a direct relation to slavery, Jim Crow racism and segregation. Black people have been damaged, Perry said.

But even with the documented pain of slavery and racism, and laws instituted and approved by the federal government to harm descendants of slaves, African Americans have yet to be made whole.

Talk of reparationshas been going on for decades, but the Black Lives Matter movement gave that discussion a push in the past year,Perry said.

Several cities are looking for ways to atone for slavery and discrimination:

All of these people are trying to create a reparative system because we need a reparative culture, Perry said.

An online campaign started by Groundswell calls for individual payments to descendants of formerly enslaved Black Americans that correlates with the racial wealth gap that currently exists between whiteand Black citizens; free college tuition to any four-or two-year college or university; erasure of Black student loan debt; and strategic investments in Black communities and businesses.

The state should also provide free mental health services and health care to all descendants of formerly enslaved Black Americans along with grants for down payments and housing revitalization for homes.

The campaign also asks that all formerly incarcerated people have their voting rights restored and mandatory minimum sentencing laws be abolished.

While there may be disagreements on what to do and how much to give to assuage the effects of slavery and unrelenting racism, reparations shouldbe a part of Americas atonement for the injuries caused to an entire race of people.

At the foundation's event, small groups discussions were ledby Fred Royal, past president of the NAACP Milwaukee branch, and Martha Barry, chief racial justice officer for the YWCA of Southeast Wisconsin.

Barry said local leaders need to figure out what areparations package would look like and African Americans must be listened to.

As a white woman, I just need to listen and support," she said. "I need to know your stories and how your family was impacted by racism and how you continue to be impacted.

One of the first steps: createa dedicated funding stream like Evanston did, Royal said. Evanstondraws on a 3% tax on recreational marijuana.

If Milwaukee can use taxpayer dollars tobuild a baseball stadium and basketball arena, it should not be a heavy lift to do the same to benefit Black residents who have sufferedracism for generations.

Dr. Tito Izard, president andchief executive officer ofMilwaukee Health Services,said the racial wealth gap can widen as Black educational attainment rises because of student debt.

Im 51 years old, and my wife and I graduated from medical college. I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Medical School,and we still have almost $100,000 in student loan debt, he said.

Because of college debt, his children never benefited from their parents being doctors. For most of their childhood, he and his wife were worth more dead than alive.

My children didnt get the same advantage as a white physicians children would get. We had high income but negative wealth, he said.

Whats needed is something like the GI Bill(which helped soldiers returning from war) for the descendants of slavery, Royal said.

The timing is right for a reparations push in Milwaukee.

In 2019, Milwaukee County was among the first in the nation to declare racism a public health crisis. In 2020, County Executive David Crowley shared his vision of addressing racial wage and education gaps, unequal access to health care and housing insecurity for Black people.

At Milwaukee's 50th Juneteenth Day celebration last month,city and state leaders were urged to support reparations during anopening ceremonythat featured Gov. Tony Evers, Mayor Tom Barrett and the Wisconsin Legislative Black Caucus.

"If you don't support reparations, we're not going to support you," said community leader Janette Herrera, who then led the crowd in a chant of "Reparations Now."

No doubt, itwill be a hard argument to win.

AUMass Amherst/WCVB Poll shows that 62% of Americansoppose cash payments to the descendants of slaves. Among those who oppose reparations, 38% said descendants of slaves dont deserve money and 25% said it's impossible to place a value on the impact of slavery.

But while you may not be able to quantify the damage slavery and Jim Crow segregation caused, it doesnt negate the need for compensation.

We are still in a mode where the economy is boomingbut working-class people are suffering, but we can change all of that by changing the policy environment to one that is reparative in nature, Perry said.

Milwaukee needs to do something drastic; the conditions for Black people here are among the worst in the country for segregation, home ownership, and wealth and educational gaps.

We need less conversation and more compensation.

Email him at jcausey@jrn.com and follow him on Twitter: @jecausey.

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The idea of reparations is not controversial until the conversation turns to Black people - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel