Roommates, as we celebrate Juneteenth, we are reminded of the hurt and pain our ancestors endured as enslaved people. However, celebs are speaking out on behalf of the culture!
According to USA Today, a house subcommittee is holding a hearing on Juneteenth to discuss reparations for slavery. The idea of restoring what was taken from the African-American community during the era of the slave-trade, but this is the first time legislation could be taken seriously.
The House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, civil rights, and Civil Liberties is reportedly set to discuss legislation that would create a commission to study the history of slavery and the lasting effects its had on African Americans.
Ta-Nehisi coates, author of “The Case For Reparations,” and The Color Purple star Danny Glover, are set to testify before the panel in favor of restoring justice to the African-American community.
“The purpose of the hearing is to examine, through open and constructive discourse, the legacy of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, its continuing impact on the community and the path to restorative justice,” the House Committee said in a press release.
The bill in question, called House Resolution 40, calls for the creation of a commission to do just that. It was first introduced in 1989, and reintroduced every year until 2017. Texas Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee introduced it once again earlier this year.
“The impact of slavery and its vestiges continues to effect African Americans and indeed all Americans in communities throughout our nation,” she said. “The call for reparations represents a commitment to entering constructive dialogue on the role of slavery and racism in shaping present-day conditions in our community and American society.”
It may seem like a far-fetched concept, considering its been 154 years since African-Americans have been free from enslavement, but democratic representatives are working to get the bill put into action.
While these celebs fight for the culture on capital hill, people across the United States are celebrating Juneteenth: the commemoration of the abolition of slavery!
