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Resolution on Reparations at GC 2003
This is a very preliminary first draft. I would welcome suggestions and
co-sponsors.
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Resolved, the House of ___ Concurring, that this 74th General Convention
of the Episcopal Church meeting in Minneapolis supports a full and
complete apology to African Americans for the Church's involvement in
slavery and the systemic injustice which is slavery's legacy, and be it
further
RESOLVED that ECUSA will spend five percent of the DFMS annual program
budget for the 20 years beginning 2006 to fund education for the
descendants of slaves, and be it further,
RESOLVED that Executive Council will appoint a Reconciliation Task Force
to collect the evidence of the harm that this legacy continues to exact on
persons of color in our church and report to the 75th General Convention
RESOLVED that The Washington Office of the Episcopal Church will work for
a just and lasting remedy at the federal level to this historic blight on
our nation, and be it further
RESOLVED that the Episcopal Church advocates access to free education
through at least two graduate degrees for every descendant of a slave in
the US, the funding to cover education that begins on January 1st after
the legislation is enacted. It is to be understood that this resolution
does not guarantee the education, only the access to education meeting
routine standards of admission. It is to be further understood that
'education' includes certified training schools as well as colleges and
universities.
EXPLANATION
This effort can in no way re-pay the price paid by so many Americans for
so long, but it can begin the effort, long overdue, to compensate their
descendants. This process can make our dreams of democracy move from
rhetoric to fact.
This initiative is not unusual. The United States has granted reparations
to Native Americans, to Japanese Americans, and to several other groups
that have suffered systemic disadvantages from our unequal and unjust
policies.
Related links:
National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America
http://www.ncobra.com/
Reparations Bill For The African Slaves In The United States, 1867
http://www.directblackaction.com/rep_bills/hr29_1867.txt
Commission to Study Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act, 1989
(introduced every year since 1989 by Rep. John Conyers)
http://www.house.gov/conyers/answers.htm
A response from the Organization of Black Students, University of Chicago
http://home.uchicago.edu/~rblack/OBS.htm
Nation Time, the voice of the New Afrikan Liberation Front
http://www.nalfnationtime.com/nationhome.html
Sponsored by: Louie Crew (L2, Newark),.......