A leading reparations activist says there is merit in pursuing a variety of legal strategies that might convince U.S. courts that Black people deserve damages for past treatment in the United States. However, Kamm Howard, of the legislative commission of NCOBRA, the national Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America, doesn’t believe there is anything “novel” about the proposal by Dr. Jahi Issa and Reggie Mabry, that reparations activists recognize that slavery was legal in the U.S., and adjust their legal strategy, according. “Slavery was never legal under international norms,” said Howard. “Only a small number of nations in Europe colluded together and created some rules among themselves on how to engage in these international crimes. Those were rules amongst criminals.”
Opposing the latest call for the invasion of Haiti, ending legacy admissions in New York, felony murder sentencing in Pennsylvania.
Dr. Jemima Pierre is a professor in the African American Studies and Anthropology Departments at UCLA.
Johanna Miller is Director of Education Policy at the New York Civil Liberties Union.
Quinn Cozzens is a staff attorney with Abolitionist Law Center who joins us to discuss the issue of sentencing for felony murder in Pennsylvania.
The earth recently experienced its hottest days on record. Here in the U.S. Black people face the worst consequences of the climate crisis.
