California to Consider Slavery Reparations After Passing Landmark Law

By Dana Cruz Oct 01 2020, 23:27 PM EDT

California Gov. Gavin Newsom — California governor Gavin Newsom waits to speak at a news conference in San Diego, California, US. REUTERS/ Mike Blake/File Photo

California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a landmark law establishing a task force to study and make recommendations on reparations for slavery.

The bill, AB 3121, is the first of its kind in any U.S. state and it was signed on Wednesday, said a CNN report.

It creates a nine-member task force that will inform California residents about slavery. The task force will also explore ways to provide reparations to descendants of slavery, reported The Guardian.

This task force will come together in the wake of nationwide protests calling for racial justice and police reform. Congress Democrats have also asked to vote on a bill studying reparations.

The governor's office released a statement regarding the matter. In it, Newsom said, "As a nation, we can only truly thrive when every one of us has the opportunity to thrive."

He explained that the country's history with slavery "evolved into structural racism." Newsom added that there has been existing "bias built into and permeating throughout our democratic and economic institutions."

He also acknowledged that many colored populations, specifically Black Californians, still face "discrimination and disadvantages."

For Newsom, the "rich diversity" of California was one of its greatest assets. With the new law, the governor is hoping to "make right" the shortfalls of the state when it comes to serving people of color.

Other Bills, Measures

AB 3121 is joined by two other bills that target structural racism and bias in the legal system.

One bill prohibits the use of race, ethnicity and national origin to seek or obtain convictions or impose sentences. The other seeks to reduce discrimination in jury selection, according to the press release.

The idea of reparations for slavery has been a controversial subject for U.S. politics recently. Conversations about it date back to the end of the Civil War.

Republicans disapprove of the subject. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, for example, said last year that he was opposed to the idea.

He said "none of us currently living are responsible" for America's "original sin."

But Asheville, North Carolina still managed to get reparations approved in July through a resolution for Black residents. The city formally apologized for its role in slavery and implementing racist policies.

Asheville did not plan to mandate direct cash payments to descendants of slaves. Instead, it planned to invest in areas where Black people face disparities in their city.

California and its History with Slavery

In February this year, California issued a formal apology for the internment of Japanese Americans during the Second World War. It was the largest forced relocation in the history of the country, with more than 100,000 Japanese Americans involved.

In 1850, California became part of the U.S. as a "free state," 11 years before the civil war.

But according to the California Historical Society, its history with slavery is much more complicated.

During the Gold Rush and before California became a state, many who took to the Sierra Nevada foothills brought enslaved people with them.

In an effort to educate people about their little-known historical record of slavery, several institutions came together in a unique public education project called "Gold Chains."

The project involves multimedia stories and research that examines the history of shaping California's racial landscape today.