By: Jasmine Young and Skyler Rosellini
Executive Summary
On September 30, 2020, the California Reparations Task Force was formed, which is the first of its kind in the nation. Its purpose is to study and develop reparation proposals for the California Legislature that would address its legacy of discriminatory policies against Black Californians. The Task Force’s interim report, released in June 2022, proposed various recommendations for reparations, including compensation, rehabilitation, and restitution for African Americans, with special consideration to those who are descendants of persons enslaved in the U.S. The report highlights several areas of systemic and institutional racism at the federal, state, and local levels, such as within the health care system, the social and welfare systems, the legal system, and the wealth gap. The Task Force will issue a final report on recommendations for reparations before the Task Force ends, which was originally set for July 1, 2023, but was extended to July 1, 2024.
For more information, see additional blog post on the series: Reparations in California: NHeLP Launches New Issue Brief Series on California’s Reparations Task Force Newly Released Interim Report
