The international body United Nations officially affirmed
with Black people and our allies what we already know: that the descendants
of slavery suffered an atrocious, violation of humanity, demanding of
reparations. In response to the resolution and the United States’ refusal
to vote in favor, Marcus Anthony Hunter, PhD, professor of sociology and
African American studies at UCLA, chair of the Sociology Department at
Howard University and author of “Radical Reparations: Healing the Soul of
a Nation,” released the following statement:
“The global majority is reaffirming the dignity of 15 million Africans,
whose enslavers intended to strip of identity and spirit. The 123 nations
that voted in favor of a resolution calling the transatlantic slave trade
the ‘gravest crime against humanity’ understand that truth-telling is a
small step toward true healing. However, there remains a gap between public
acknowledgement and meaningful transformation in the form of reparations.
“Reparations are the only solution to address economic redress, political
and legal injustices, and spatial and spiritual harm that continue to haunt
the descendants of enslaved Africans today. The world is moving toward
repair faster than the United States. Reparations are an international
norm. Therefore, this matter isn’t about guilt; it’s about responsibility
and design.
“The United States’ refusal to vote in favor of this resolution is
further evidence that those in power will always reject an opportunity to
reckon with history and to dismantle an institution built on stolen labor
and stolen lives. While that system continues to shape wealth and power for
some, they evade accountability and deny reparative justice owed to many of
its citizens. All that we repair, we heal. And all that we refuse to
repair, returns.”