WSJ: Chicago Suburb Pays Reparations to Black Residents in a ‘Test Run for the Whole Country’
July 10, 2023 Evanston, Illinois, has launched a pioneering reparations program to address historical racial discrimination, focusing on Black residents who faced barriers in housing and other areas. Louis Weathers, an 88-year-old resident, recalls experiencing racial prejudice in his youth. As part of the program, initiated in 2019, Evanston committed $10 million over ten years, mainly funded by real estate taxes, to distribute $25,000 each to eligible residents who lived in the city from 1919 to 1969. This initiative, the first of its kind in the U.S., aims to offer financial compensation to counteract past injustices and serve as a model for similar efforts nationwide. This reparations program is not just about rectifying past wrongs but is also a strategic investment in building a stronger, more cohesive community for the future.