civus
ResolutionADOPTEDCeremonial

Resolution 210144

Calling on Congress to pass the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act.

Introduced Feb 18, 2021CITY COUNCILOfficial record: City of Philadelphia via Legistar

Introduced by

Councilmember JohnsonCouncil President ClarkeCouncilmember GauthierCouncilmember JonesCouncilmember GreenCouncilmember BassCouncilmember Gilmore RichardsonCouncilmember DombCouncilmember GymCouncilmember BrooksCouncilmember HenonCouncilmember ParkerCouncilmember Thomas

From the floor

Passages in the official transcripts that cite this file number. Every quote links to its exact place in the record.

  1. “Peace and love and good morning, everybody. My name is Reshaun Williams. I'm commenting on Resolution No. 210144. I want to start off by saying that if there is a level of apathy toward supporting this bill, then that means that there is a strong level of apathy to all of the consequences of not paying attention to the repair of a people that we have experienced in Philadelphia. We've already been quite aware, made w…”

    Mr. Williams · Stated Meeting, February 25, 2021 · Feb 25, 2021 · official transcript, this passage

  2. “…N'COBRA, the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America, and we're in full support for Resolution 210144 calling on Congress to pass H.R. 40, the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans. Philadelphia is the poorest big city in America, and we are a majority black and brown city. We will benefit the most from the passing of H.R. 40. Stated Meeting February 25, 2021 Black…”

    Ms. Moore · Stated Meeting, February 25, 2021 · Feb 25, 2021 · official transcript, this passage

  3. “…Darrell Clarke and City Councilmembers for this opportunity to provide public comment in support of Resolution 210144 calling on Congress to pass the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act. I thank Stated Meeting February 25, 2021 Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson and all the co-sponsors for introducing this much-needed resolution. NOW, National Organization for Women, is the gras…”

    Ms. Ahmad · Stated Meeting, February 25, 2021 · Feb 25, 2021 · official transcript, this passage

  4. “…uncilman Bobby Henon, Councilmember Cherelle Parker, and Councilman Isaiah Thomas for supporting my Resolution No. 210144 calling on Congress to pass House Resolution 40, which will establish a Commission to Study Reparations and also look at recommendations for providing reparations to the African American community. In this day and age, when we talk about institutional racism, we talk about issues of social justice…”

    Councilman Johnson · Stated Meeting, February 25, 2021 · Feb 25, 2021 · official transcript, this passage

Status timeline

  1. Feb 18, 2021
    Introduced and Ordered Placed On Next Week's Final Passage Calendar · CITY COUNCIL

    This Resolution was Introduced and Ordered Placed On Next Week's Final Passage Calendar.

  2. Feb 25, 2021
    ADOPTED · CITY COUNCIL

    This Resolution was ADOPTED.

Official documents

Documents open on the City of Philadelphia’s legislative site.

Full text

Read the full text as published

..Title Calling on Congress to pass the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act. ..Body WHEREAS, H.R. 40, also known as the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act, seeks to examine the fundamental injustice of slavery perpetuated in the United States for over 200 years until 1865, and consider options for reparations; and WHEREAS, The fight for H.R. 40 has a long history in the House of Representatives, championed for decades by the late Rep. John Conyers. Its current champions include lead sponsors Representative Sheila Jackson Lee in the House and Senator Cory Booker, who introduced the companion bill S.40 in the U.S. Senate; and WHEREAS, On Wednesday, February 17th, the U.S. House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties heard testimony on this historic bill, appropriately taking place during Black History Month; and WHEREAS, The reparations commission that the bill seeks to establish would study the history of slavery, the role federal and state governments played in supporting slavery, and racial discrimination against the descendants of enslaved Africans; and WHEREAS, The commission would be able to make recommendations regarding compensation and atonement for slavery. This is an essential step in the reconciliation for the sin of American slavery and better understanding of its lasting effects; and WHEREAS, This legislation is already supported by numerous prominent organization including the Human Rights Watch, the ACLU, Amnesty International, Asians Americans Advancing Justice and the NAACP; and WHEREAS, Following a year where racial injustice was at the forefront of national conversation, continued actions need to be taken in order for the federal government to begin to make amends for the historic state-sponsored violence against Black people, and the decades of systemic racial discrimination that followed; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That it hereby calls on Congress to pass H.R. 40, the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act. ..End