Will the House of Representatives’ Apology for Slavery Open the Door for Potential Reparations?

Sherrel Wheeler Stewart, BlackAmericaWeb.com

- Tuesday’s apology for slavery and Jim Crow segregation from the U.S. House of Representatives is a necessary step toward healing some of America’s racial ills and could open the door for serious dialogue on reparations, some observers say.

“When you admit to guilt, the next thing people say is, ‘what are you going to do to make it right?’” Syracuse University professor Boyce Watkins told BlackAmericaWeb.com. “If you admit something was stolen, you have to give something back. It opens the door for additional conversation about reparations.”

“The U.S. House deserves credit for taking this step, but the proof is in the potato salad,” he said. “If you don’t follow the apology with action, talk is cheap. Talk is less expensive than reparations.”

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