Opinion: Why we can’t wait for reparations

In his landmark book entitled “Why We Can’t Wait,” Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. recounted the 1963 events of the civil rights movement in Birmingham, Alabama, and beyond. The book’s title is fashioned as a response to criticism that King received for helping to lead such efforts at a time when racial strife and resistance to civil rights was high. White moderates (and even many members of the Black community) were urging King to slow down, wait for a later time to address the grievances of the African American community and consider more accommodating avenues for bringing about change in society. The then-34-year-old, young adult Baptist preacher would have none of it. 

In response to warnings that it was not the right time to advocate for justice for the African American community, King said, “For years now, I have heard the word ‘Wait!’ It rings in the ear of every Negro with piercing familiarity. This ‘Wait’ has almost always meant ‘Never.’ We must come to see, with one of our distinguished jurists, that ‘justice too long delayed is justice denied.”

These wise words from Dr. King should help the African American community at this moment as it relates to the struggle for reparations.

Maryland residents are justifiably disappointed by Governor Wes Moore’s decision to veto a crucial reparations bill that was passed in April. I strongly urge the governor and those who supported his decision to rethink this stance. This bill is not merely important; it is a necessary next step toward justice and equality that our state desperately needs.

Gov. Moore vetoed the bill because he believed we’d already had enough studies; it was time for action. However, Senate Bill 587 does provide the steps that could be viewed as the next building block in this generations-long fight for what’s right.

In explaining his veto, Governor Moore cited two commissions by name. 

The Commission to Coordinate the Study, Commemoration, and Impact of Slavery’s History and Legacy in Maryland, formed in 2001, worked to preserve, catalog and make available cultural resources about the history and legacy of slavery in Maryland. That commission last met fourteen years ago and was formally abolished in 2019. Much of their work is filed away in the Maryland State Archives.

The other group that the Governor cited — Maryland Truth and Reconciliation Commission — released its interim report in 2020. They were tasked to uncover lynchings in Maryland between 1854 and 1933. Its final report is expected to be released later this year.

I support both of these efforts, as they contribute to the historical context needed to help people understand why we need reparations. But as the governor states, we need action. That’s exactly what the current bill offers.

If signed into law, the bill would establish a commission to examine inequitable government policies toward African Americans in Maryland, how public and private institutions have benefited from them, and the number of individuals whose ancestors were enslaved in our state. It would look into the feasibility of administering a reparations fund. The commission would also evaluate eligibility for potential recipients of benefits.

Gov. Moore noted that he’s worked legislatively to close wealth gaps and other disparities. He has indeed increased opportunities for historically Black colleges and universities, Black-owned businesses and Black first-time homeowners. This is commendable and timely. I am among the many that appreciate Governor Moore’s leadership in these valuable ways. 

However, we must be careful not to confuse the laudable initiatives of one administration with this bill that would codify a more intentional effort to reverse the harm caused by centuries of racist laws and policies. If reparations is codified in state law, it will matter less who the governor is or what political party is in power. Reparations would be the law of the land in the Free State.

Despite having African Americans in the position of Governor, Attorney General, and Speaker of the House, there are clergy members, politicians and community leaders who are saying that though they support reparations, now is not the right time to take the next steps to pursue it. Though the Democratic Party is in control of Maryland’s House and Senate, these leaders express concern that if we make progress on reparations right now it will provoke the ire of President Trump and will bring us greater trouble from this federal administration. Their concerns are genuine and have some validity.

However, I believe that the trouble that they fear is already here. The masses of African Americans in this country and in our state have been and are already suffering under horrific realities in various ways that are rippling through the generations of our families. The quality of life of our descendants and those yet unborn would be adversely affected by our decision to shrink back at this moment. We cannot surrender hard earned gains in the struggle for reparations made by those on whose shoulders we stand. We must gain ground in both good and tough times; not retreat from it.

No matter what administration is in power, there will always be reasons to put reparations on hold. All eyes are on Maryland, the only state with a Black governor, to see if we can take steps to effectively deliver meaningful change that honors the legacies of our Black families and addresses the harm that has led to current state-sanctioned inequities.

If a state with so many democratic African Africans in political leadership from the top down cannot deliver on taking this sensible step for reparations; I shudder to think about the message that it will send across the nation in our community and beyond. What would it say about the Democratic party if they can’t deliver for the Black community even when they have all of the cards in their hands?

We can’t wait because Black people are suffering economically, socially and physically. We can’t wait because our people don’t have access to land for homes and farming. We can’t wait because laws continue to disproportionately criminalize and incarcerate Black people. Reparations is a political and economic solution that will drastically reduce the negative effects of the racist, discriminatory policies that have haunted us for centuries.

In his book, “Should America Pay? Slavery And The Raging Debate On Reparations,” Dr. Raymond Winbush lists other communities that have already received reparations in the United States. From Jewish Holocaust survivors to Indigenous communities to Japanese Americans and more. These groups have already received (and some are still receiving) reparations in the form of cash payments, land and more. In fact, Abraham Lincoln signed an 1862 bill that even paid slaveowners $300 for each enslaved African freed while our ancestors received nothing.

Why should African Americans wait a second longer for something that others have already received?

As we approach Juneteenth – a national holiday that celebrates liberation for African Americans – I urge Gov. Moore to reverse course and honor the wishes of the elected members of the Maryland General Assembly and many of the citizens of this state. I encourage my colleagues in the clergy to embrace a boldness not based on political calculations, but rather one rooted in the liberatory gospel that’s rich in stories that spotlight saints who stood up in difficult times.

Let us remember the wisdom of our ancestors who struggled for freedom, whose invaluable lessons can guide us as we move forward today. Now is the critical moment to prioritize reparations. We cannot wait a second longer.

We still have the opportunity to come together, take a stand and do what’s right by our ancestors, ourselves and our descendants.

The Rev. Dr. Heber Brown, III is the executive director of the Black Church Food Security Network.