“Juneteenth has never been a celebration of victory or an acceptance of the way things are. It’s a celebration of progress. It’s an affirmation that despite the most painful parts of our history, change is possible—and there is still so much work to do.”
– President Barack Obama
In Honor of Juneteenth, Call for a Reparations Commission
On Monday, we honored Juneteenth, commemorating the end of slavery in the United States in 1865. However, the legacy of slavery in the U.S. continues to cast an ugly shadow over the progress that has been made since. Years of racial inequity, discriminatory legislation and violence have created stark contrasts in quality of living, health care, income and access to education for Black people in the United States. We need a way forward that addresses this systemic injustice and deep-rooted inequities. There is a bill in Congress called the “Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act” (H.R. 40/S. 40). It would establish a commission to investigate the legacy of slavery and its ongoing harms and develop reparations proposals. It has languished in Congress for over 30 years, but finally passed the House Judiciary Committee last year. However, the bill has failed to move since.
NETWORK recently held a webinar on Repair and Redress: How an H.R.40-style commission is vital to the Build Anew agenda. Then, last week, NETWORK held a news conference outside the White House urging President Biden to sign an executive order establishing an H.R.40-style reparations commission.
You can join in action today. Click here to email the White House and urge President Biden to establish a federal reparations commission via executive order. Now is the time to move our country toward overdue, long-needed repair.
“Did You Know…?” Future Church will host a four-part book study of “Subversive Habits: Black Catholic Nuns in the Long African American Freedom Struggle.” Beginning Aug. 9, participants will dive deeply into Dr. Shannen Dee Williams’ groundbreaking new book. The series will explore the lives, experiences, struggles and advances Black Catholic women religious made in the long struggle for freedom. It will include prayer, study, group discussions and guest speakers. Click here for more information and to register.
You may find the IHM Justice, Peace, and Sustainability Office’s Web materials useful for your committee work, presentations, mission units, ministry and other educational purposes. Be sure to check out our regularly updated online resources HERE.