The House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties held a hearing at Capitol Hill on Wednesday (June 19) to talk about the “legacy of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, its continuing impact on the community and the path to restorative justice.”
As reported by CNN, New Jersey Democratic Sen. Cory Booker, writer Ta-Nehisi Coates and actor Danny Glover testified before the House panel.
During the hearing, the panel discussed H.R. 40, legislation that would “establish a commission to study the consequences and impacts of slavery and make recommendations for reparations proposals.”
On Tuesday (June 18), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell caused an uproar when he said reparations aren’t a “good idea,” something Rep. Jerry Nadler addressed with Coates.
In what was an undeniably eloquent response, Coates outlined how slavery still impacts African-Americans today.
The last time Congress held a hearing on the topic of reparations was 2007, but the idea has recently gained new traction.
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) sponsored the resolution earlier this year and advocated for this week’s hearing, while Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi hinted her support in February during an event at Howard University.
“While we have focused on the social effects of slavery and segregation, its continuing economic implications remain largely ignored by mainstream analysis,” Pelosi said.
June 19, which is also referred to as Juneteenth or Emancipation Day, is particularly important because it celebrates the end of slavery.
On June 19, 1865, Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger of the Union Army finally notified slaves of their emancipation more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation had been written and read.
Juneteenth started in Texas and is the oldest known U.S. celebration of the end of slavery. There are 46 states with laws pertaining to Juneteenth. In fact, Pennsylvania on Wednesday became the latest state to officially recognize the day.
Twitter has exploded with reactions to the hearing. Check some of them out below.
If Corey Booker was to win the presidential election and get the Harriet Tubman 20 Bills in to circulate he could Trump History! Song Of the day Queen Latifah ( Cat’t For New Jersey )
Lmao at you thinking Corey booker could win lmaoooo, the loser race and another bright idea
Eat a bag of baby dicks, motherfvcker
Lol at being such a pathetic people the only way to succeed is with yet another government handout. Pathetic losers.
Unless hes white, you dont have a point. White people are the biggest frauds ever AND hold the highest amount in welfare paid over the years. Congratulations, youre stupid in politics and economics.
Ok how does that change the fact that repression’s are another handout? You slow or just gay?
You are incorrect. Statistically blacks in America have way more hand outs than any other demographic. Look it up, dummy. It’s mainly because black dudes knock women up then abandon them. The highest demographic for crime, incarceration and single parent families. By far. The excuse is some shit that happened either over 50 years ago, or over 100 years ago, when you’ve had a president, the greatest artists and athletes of all time and affermitave action action. Nothing on the Native Americans or the Mexicans getting paid, right? LOL. Totally retarded. How about you get a payout, but have to return to the mother land, like good old Abe Lincoln intended? Fucking excuse makers. If I were black I would hang my head in shame over this bullshit.
Some of yal have no actual concern or information on the history and just looking for a hand out. It’s disgusting.
all you’ll have to do is submit dna to proove it, im sure theyll love that database
The plot twist is… once they get paid, they have to hand ALL of the money over to the Hebrews for when the Pharos enslaved them and made them build the pyramids. LOL. When are we going to realize that all of that is ancient history, and the statute of limitations ran out on that shit forever ago? Losers. I have 2 black friends that moved here from Brazil 20 years ago. They didn’t have legal docs, couldn’t speak the language and didn’t have the right to legally work. They both own homes, cars and straightened out their citizenship they he’d work and a lack of making excuses. Their kids are going to college. Idiots.
Damn. Hennessey, Newport cigarettes, Swisher Sweets, Cadillac, Nike, Vogue Rims and Balmain jeans are sure going to lobby for this. Just give everyone an Escalade and some Jordan’s, save us all the hassle and time.
Africa is a SHITHOLE! I think you should get a check if you’re willing to return to Liberia and give up your US citizenship. LOL. Wouldn’t it be awesome if the Africans then sold them back into slavery like the did the first time around? England and Africa owe you your reparations, morons. And yes, we did do you a favor.
I pray for you and your family, you need prayer Ghana is more freedom than your shit trump America. We are lovely people and respect.
You are more bad English than anywhere else. Ghana is disease ridden shit hole. You fought the British for freedom because you wanted to keep selling black people into savery. Way more freedom. Retard. Click click (Starving Marvin voice).
I stand here as the great great grandson… hilarious. Are you for real? The millionare in an Italian made suit is complaining about not getting a fair shake?
There are more slaves right now in Africa then ever in the history of the US.
Fool keep dreaming and keep reading fake news from cnn, fox news etc…. My question is when was the last time you went Africa or stay in Africa. Africa is peaceful and free movement. A white man that never step a foot in Africa talk shit about Africa cuz he is sitting on mummy basement typing shit information. Our culture is deep and respect. I was 10 when I use to go farm with my grandparents and help them out and you know what it it makes me stronger, I grew up to be a man not a bitch sleeping in my mum basement. Is a culture where you teach your kids from young. So if you call that slavery you need christ. Don’t talk shit cuz you close minded never been Africa so please stop your lies.
Dude. Please stop posting here. Shouldn’t you be out singing the lion king song, or chopping little kids arms off? This is the same guy who said AIDS doesn’t exist in Africa, there is more aids in the US, black people are eating out of trash cans etc. how do you even have WiFi in your mud hut homie? Dumbass
You don’t need to go to Africa to understand what’s going on there right now. The murder, corruption, disease, and suffering is staggering. But you’ll probably find a way to blame that on white people. Genius!
and how times have changed. one of these days the u.s. government is going to make slaves of us all with rfid chips. but lets hope not eh.
U guys are out of ur damn minds. All of yall lined up with ur hand out for some free money pretending to be a victim lol. Pathetic.
Had whites been enslaved for 400 hundreds this would have happened decades ago. Free money this ass crackkka
Whites have been enslaved several times, dummy. The Roman Hebrews to Christians and vice versa. The Pharos did the Hebrews. How about the Native Americans? They don’t deserve a check first, young greedy Dindu welfare baby?
What’s pathetic is what was done to black folks. That’s very pathetic.
Reparations make sense but they’ll be so complicated cause many generations have passed. How do you trace who to compensate?
1 way is to use the census. If you haven’t been claiming African American for the last 10 years you get no check!
Guatemala is taking over South central LA, but lets worry about this nonsense lol! 62%of LA homeless population is black Americans.
Guess US has only one state? And can’t reparation help some of the homeless if they don’t spend it on drugs? Your point is utter nonsense
Says the guy who doesn’t punctuate correctly.
reparations should be made only if they are reasonable and not overly excessive.
I want reparations for having to put up with black women my whole life. They are THE WORST!
Well crackkkaz are skunkier
Cory Booker is a fraud. Dont trust a scumbag who personally puts one of the gunmen who shot Malcom X in his campaign commercial. It’s an older campaign ad from when he was running in New Jersey. Seriously, look it up and spread the word. This guy needs to be exposed as well as Malcom’s killer who has lived great life thanks to his connections to people like Cory Booker.
Reparations are about truth and justice. It’s about acknowledging the wrongs the state has inflicted on black people. They’re about apologizing. 250 years of slavery, 90yrs. Jim Crow laws, 60 yrs. Separate but equal, 35 yrs. racist housing policy.
Hahahaha. Nice. The Hebrews were slaves to the Pharos (blacks) for way longer than that, cry baby. You’ll then turn over your check, because it’s about justice? Or how about the native Americans? They were wiped out point blank. You also forget that 98% of slaves brought to the US were captured and sold by other black people. Africans. It was the Brit’s and Portuguese who did almost all of that. Try to get some money out of them… Typixal American negro. Blame the wrong person, then try to cut the line for a handout.
reparations. sounds cool. til all the money is used to buy guns and drugs and kill one other with, as usual. Money doesnt make people better. Just gives higher access to things. How bout use that reparation money to fix the education system, housing system, etc. in the black neighborhoods. They wont be rich, but in time theyll learn how they can be.
But give them money now, itll be blown on bullshit and we’ll be that much more closer to the collapse of America. Fr.
Didn’t wanna show any of the videos of Burgess Owens or Coleman Hughes huh… just wanna show one side and (try to) keep the people in the dark huh… cool. Let’s say whomever fought to KEEP slavery, owes the reparations… outta their own pockets, not taxpayers (cough, Democrats, cough)
Why about the British and the Africans who sold blacks into slavery in the first place? They didn’t 98% of the work. I don’t see anyone talking about paying out the Native Americans.
All you haters know where these meetings take place. You can just go there and object if want to. Protest whatever. Not on a rap site. That’s cowardice. Hiding behind computers dummies.
Show up to get assaulted and have your first ammendment rights tramples on. Great advice.
Anybody in favor of reparations is mentally unstable
Anybody to object to a discussion such as this is purely racist.
Yeah. For sure. It’s WAY more appropriate to give a hand out to people who’s great great grandparents were the last generation affected by slavery. The same people who have had a president, the highest paid athletes and musicians on the planet, the greatest astrophysicist etc. never mind the NATIVE AMEEICANS!! Idiots. Victim mentality having ass losers. Black Americans are the biggest racists on planet earth.
Typical dindu bullshit. Danny Glover is standing there in a bespoke Armani suit, with a net worth of 40 million dollars, talking about his “great, great grandma was a slave.” Sure Danny. OBVIOUSLY the black man can’t get a fair shake in the US. You’re proof that this is a handout cash grab. Jackass.
Blows my mind how so many racists come to hip-hop websites. It tells me alot about the trolls. But just like everything related to reparations. You trolls want to steal this art form. 60 years from now if you had it your way slim shady would be the inventor of this art form right? Just like elvis invented rock roll right? Stealing and thieving and lying.