WHY REPARATIONS
As stated by Berkeley Law, jurisprudence and law have profoundly shaped, defined, and constrained the lives of Black people for over 400 years in the new world. Racial inequality has extremely deep roots in American society, and our Constitution, statutes, court cases, and regulations not only bear witness to this, but are often the source of it.
The timeline below provides an overview of some of these laws, beginning with the first known case marking the legal difference between Africans and Europeans in 1640 in Virginia, and continuing with laws recently introduced in the wake of the killing of George Floyd and other Black Americans. While not exhaustive, the timeline focuses on a number of key legal events and actions that have structured and systematized racism in America. FAM believes that Reparations are owed to the descendant community for the plethora of harms and injustices they have suffered generation after generation in the land of their birth.
400 Years of Resistance
Created by Chancellor Carol Christ to mark the 400th anniversary of the forced arrival of enslaved Africans in the English colonies. The timeline below is an important national initiative that seeks to improve the climate for Racial and Ethnic Diversity, Inequality and Opportunity; and, Democracy, Values, Governance and Freedom of Speech. We at FAM, believes this timeline serves as a powerful resource for those who want to delve into true American history, understand the continuing impact of slavery and oppression, and explore the extraordinary struggles for freedom and justice continuously fought for by descendants of the formerly enslaved.
The Color of Wealth Reports
Summary: The color of Wealth reports features estimates for U.S.-born blacks, blacks who are recent immigrants from Africa (African blacks), Mexicans, other Latinos, Asian Indians, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and other ethnic groups within a given statistical area. The reports provide analysis that shows with respect to types and size of household assets and debt, there are significant differences across race, ethnicity and ancestral origin. The report explores what factors are related to wealth accumulation for particular racial and ethnic groups, such as historical context, local asset markets, and intergenerational wealth transfers. Wealth is the paramount indicator of economic inequality. FAM believes that color of wealth reports provide a window into the current wealth levels of the descendants of Freedmen. We believe the racial wealth gap in America is a clear indicator of the failures and disparities created from American Chattel Slavery.
A Timeline Of Our Racial and Ethnic Labels.
Below you will find a summary of the U.S. decennial census from 1790 to 2020. The category names below reflect the history of politics, science and public attitudes in America. FAM strongly believes in the need to establish an ethnic heritage for Black Americans who can trace their heritage to American Chattel Slavery.