New York City is poised to become the largest city in the U.S. to implement a reparations program, following the passage of two significant bills in the City Council on Thursday.
Sponsored by Councilmembers Crystal Hudson and Farah Louis, these bills aim to establish a Truth, Healing, and Reconciliation Commission and a reparations task force, with the goal of addressing the lasting impact of slavery and racial injustices in the city. Both pieces of legislation take effect immediately.
The commission will focus on uncovering the historical facts of slavery in New York City—an area that had one of the highest rates of slave ownership in the 1700s—and its continued legacy today.
In addition to studying the effects of slavery, the task force will also explore the creation of a “freedom trail” commemorating significant abolitionist sites, such as those linked to the Underground Railroad and New York’s early slave markets.
Councilmember Hudson expressed hope that the process would highlight ongoing systemic racism in the city and lead to actionable solutions. She emphasized that the effects of slavery persist today, citing examples such as mass incarceration, economic inequality, and systemic issues in education and housing.
Not all councilmembers were supportive of the legislation. Minority Leader Joseph Borelli, one of eight members to vote against the bills, expressed strong opposition, criticizing the idea of reparations as punishing people for actions they were not responsible for.
Borelli told the New York Post, “I’ll move before I’ll pay,” indicating he had no intention of contributing to reparations for a harm he argued was disconnected from present-day New Yorkers.
While the legislation has sparked debate, proponents believe it is a crucial step toward justice and addressing the deep inequalities rooted in New York’s past. As the nation’s largest city, New York’s initiative could set a precedent for similar measures in other municipalities across the country.
