It’s a familiar story: in 1923, a white woman lied about being raped by a Black man. A violent mob then lynched Black residents and burned Rosewood, FL, a successful Black town, to the ground. The remaining residents fled; nobody was prosecuted.
But what happened 70 years later is completely unique.
In 1994, after a major campaign, the state of Florida awarded millions to the survivors of Rosewood and established a scholarship fund that continues today!
Sounds like justice, right? Not so fast.
The nine living survivors, children during the incident, ran for their lives in fear through a freezing swamp, their lives behind them engulfed in flames. Their families lost everything.
Can less than $150,000 each make up for generations of struggle to rebuild what was violently stolen?
Nothing can take away the pain of the past, least of all cash. To some, the idea is insulting. Would any amount truly be enough to make amends?
But direct payment is definitely a start, and if Rosewood is any indication, it CAN have some positive effect. Your move, America.
Whether you believe it’s possible or not, one thing’s for sure: there is a debt to be paid. To learn more about the arguments for and against reparations, listen to Black History Year’s recent episode, “Real Talk about Reparations with Dr. William Darity,” where we lay to rest any “bootstraps” lectures and get honest about reparations.
Listen to Black History Year anywhere podcasts are streaming.