Chicago suburb set to pay reparations, but not all on board

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Chicago suburb set to pay reparations, but not all on board

EVANSTON, Ill. – When Teri Murray tried to buy her first home in 1968, searching this leafy college town for the perfect place, she thought she was an ideal candidate: married, steadily employed, ample savings.

But banks rejected her, giving dubious excuses that they had stopped offering loans or the application period had closed.

At 76, Murray now realizes those experiences were common for Black residents like her who faced decades of racist housing practices designed to stymie homeownership or force them to live in certain areas.

“Whatever reasons they gave us, I completely bought it,” said Murray, who eventually purchased the Evanston property where she lives. “I was discriminated against and didn’t know it.”

Now her community is trying to make amends as the first American city to pay reparations. Acknowledging past racist policies, Evanston is giving eligible Black residents $25,000 housing grants for down payments, repairs or existing mortgages this year. Although the approach is considered a model and homeowners like Murray are ready to apply, some Black residents say the effort falls short and true atonement hasn't begun.

The idea of reparations wasn’t a hard sell in the predominantly white Chicago suburb of about 74,000 that's known for liberal activism, intellectual discourse and Northwestern University. Alderwoman Robin Rue Simmons, a fourth generation Black resident, spearheaded the effort after studying racial disparity data, which shows the average income of Black families in Evanston is $46,000 less than white families.

“We had to create ordinances and laws that said we are committed to inclusion in a tangible way, not just in a sign, not just in a resolution, but with our budget,” said Simmons, who represents the predominantly Black 5th Ward.

Last summer's reckoning over racial injustice revived interest in reparations in communities across the country, including the state of California and cities like Chicago; Amherst, Massachusetts; Asheville, North Carolina; and Iowa City, Iowa. Federal legislation for a commission has also gained traction.

The Rev. Michael Nabors, a local NAACP chapter president who leads Evanston's Second Baptist Church, said this is the most exciting time in his 61 years.

“It is Evanston today and, in my opinion, it is going to be the United States tomorrow,” he said. “We are leading the way.”

But not everyone agrees.

Alderwoman Cicely Fleming, the sole vote against the grants, said she supports reparations but Evanston's effort isn’t that. Instead of giving money to banks, direct cash payments would give Black people power in deciding how they need repair, she said.

“The bank continues to be the largest beneficiary and perpetrator of housing discrimination,” said Fleming, who's Black. “It really lays under the guise of a narrative that poor and/or African American people don’t know how to manage their money. Therefore, when the government gives them money, there are lots of parameters on how they can use it.”

Experts also questioned calling it reparations.

Duke University economist William Darity said the label is overused and often has little to do with making restitution for Black American descendants of slavery. While Evanston's program was a positive step, he co-wrote in a Washington Post opinion piece, calling it reparations "does more harm than good.”

Bennett Johnson, 92, won't apply.

“It’s just a housing program,” he said. “It won’t work.”

The Evanston resident who’s worked as a book publisher, political organizer and activist pitched his own plan, which includes a venture capital group and a truth and reconciliation program like in post-apartheid South Africa.

Still, those involved say Evanston has been introspective.

“It’s a lot, a lot of work, and be prepared for pulling back old wounds, telling truth, gaining the trust,” said local historian Morris “Dino” Robinson Jr., who co-authored a city-commissioned study on housing practices.

The program will provide 16 grants the first year, with money from a $10 million reparations fund created in 2019 with legal marijuana taxes. To qualify, Black applicants must have lived in Evanston between 1919 and 1969 or be a direct descendent of someone who did. They must show proof, like a deed, and reside in Evanston currently. Aldermen will then decide how the rest of the fund will be spent.

The hope is to boost Black homeownership, increase property values and draw residents back. Evanston’s Black population dropped to under 17% in 2017 from more than 22% in 2000.

Evanston's first Black residents came during the Great Migration, many finding plentiful domestic and service jobs. By 1940, the Black population was over 6,000, Illinois' largest outside Chicago, according to the study commissioned by the city. Most were concentrated in a triangular area, which is today's 5th Ward.

Some racist practices were informal: Real estate agents would steer Black families to certain areas and banks denied loans, making predatory financing pervasive. Other practices were law: A 1921 zoning ordinance converted areas where Black families lived to industrial, forcing them out.

“The consequences of the racial discrimination multiplied over time,” said Jenny Thompson of the Evanston History Center, another study author.

Lots in the Black enclave were smaller; the buildings densely populated. Later, Evanston deemed many Black-owned homes “substandard” and they were cleared for new development, including a football field in 1941.

Murray and her sister, Jo-Ann Cromer, grew up in the 5th Ward, calling it thriving and close-knit. Cromer also remembers white families leaving, physically moving homes out of the neighborhood.

The sisters will apply.

Adjacent properties Murray owns through the 1968 purchase require foundational repairs and a new water line.

Cromer, 78, bought their parents’ home and wants to pay down her mortgage.

“Real estate represents wealth. I don’t think people understand if Black people had been allowed to buy property, there would be a lot of wealthy Black people in Evanston,” Cromer said. “There would be a path of wealth, generation to generation.”

That’s what Nikko Ross, 25, wants.

He'll seek a grant, either for his down payment or for his mother to repair her six-bedroom house.

Buying a home in a community where his great-grandparents lived — Evanston's median home value is roughly $400,000 — would help his future family too.

“This home can always be used as a resource to any one of our family members,” he said. “If my kids want to live here, they will always have a home.”

___

Sophia Tareen is a member of The Associated Press’ Race and Ethnicity Team. Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/sophiatareen

reparations over jim crow laws sounds more doable than slave reparations.

a lot of minorities got fucked and some didn't know they were being fucked.

how they're doing is not a good idea tho. as the guy in the article who was not wild about the proposal, says it'll fail.

More progressives brilliance

More progressives brilliance Originally Posted by rexdutchman

As opposed to redlining?

Black people got rights before my people did. I am of Chinese descent and it wasn't until 1952 that "my people" were granted the same Constitutional Rights that black people had enjoyed for almost a hundred years, and yes that includes the right to own Real Estate.

So my question to both black people and White people suffering from White Guilt is "Where are MY reparations???"

Whoa Let's hold on a minute here. MY people (Chinese) didn't get the right to own property until well after Black People, it wasn't until 1952 that the laws permitting ONLY White and Black people to own property was ruled unconstitutional.

So my question to both Black and White people is "Where the Fuck are MY reparations???" My people had less rights until much more recently than Black people so why does the Government want to steal MY money to give to people who have had equal rights for longer than my people?

Whoa Let's hold on a minute here. MY people (Chinese) didn't get the right to own property until well after Black People, it wasn't until 1952 that the laws permitting ONLY White and Black people to own property was ruled unconstitutional.

So my question to both Black and White people is "Where the Fuck are MY reparations???" My people had less rights until much more recently than Black people so why does the Government want to steal MY money to give to people who have had equal rights for longer than my people? Originally Posted by GaGambler

are you serious? I never heard of this one.

now I know of the chinese exclusion act that discriminated against chinese but this was like way back in the 1880 - 1890's and it had long expired in the early 1900s.

I'm sure there was discrimination against asians but it wasn't as widespread like blacks were.

are you serious? I never heard of this one.

now I know of the chinese exclusion act that discriminated against chinese but this was like way back in the 1880 - 1890's and it had long expired in the early 1900s.

I'm sure there was discrimination against asians but it wasn't as widespread like blacks were. Originally Posted by dilbert firestorm

You might never have heard of it, but it happened. Look it up if you don't believe me.

The reason you never heard about it is that until recently at least, Chinese people never did a bunch of whining, we put our heads down, made good lives for ourselves and were more than content with the "equal rights" that we and all other minorities achieved in the 60's-70's. We never expected "special rights" nor do we now. I have "equal" rights and I am quite happy with the playing field how it is. Getting rid of ALL racism is an unrealistic goal, systemic racist was all but gone until the last few years and now EVERYTHING is racist to hear it from some people.

But back to the Chinese, if my parents had met just a couple of years earlier it would have been illegal for them to have married. So PLEASE spare me that Black People has some kind of special monopoly on being victims.

Social division, is the goal of CRT just read Delgado/ Stefancic and the half baked ideas , that's really what its all about

You might never have heard of it, but it happened. Look it up if you don't believe me.

The reason you never heard about it is that until recently at least, Chinese people never did a bunch of whining, we put our heads down, made good lives for ourselves and were more than content with the "equal rights" that we and all other minorities achieved in the 60's-70's. We never expected "special rights" nor do we now. I have "equal" rights and I am quite happy with the playing field how it is. Getting rid of ALL racism is an unrealistic goal, systemic racist was all but gone until the last few years and now EVERYTHING is racist to hear it from some people.

But back to the Chinese, if my parents had met just a couple of years earlier it would have been illegal for them to have married. So PLEASE spare me that Black People has some kind of special monopoly on being victims. Originally Posted by GaGambler

the reason chinese people didn't "whine" was that they're from an 2000 year authoritarian culture that valued obedience over liberty.


the repression of liberties is one of the reasons why china despite its large population lost a of number wars against western powers including japan.

What will they bitch about next?

Or is it retarded white people doing the bitching for them?

Hard to tell these days.

What will they bitch about next?

Or is it retarded white people doing the bitching for them?

Hard to tell these days. Originally Posted by Strokey_McDingDong

BINGO

It really is mainly retarded white people doing the bitching for us and quite frankly I don't want any part of it, but even more so I don't want MY tax dollars going to pay reparations for something NONE of my people had anything to do with.

the reason chinese people didn't "whine" was that they're from an 2000 year authoritarian culture that valued obedience over liberty.


the repression of liberties is one of the reasons why china despite its large population lost a of number wars against western powers including japan. Originally Posted by dilbert firestorm

You are conflating Chinese people in China with the brave ones who immigrated here. I hardly value obedience over liberty, nor I am the least bit "docile" but you don't hear me whining about "Racist America" or at least not since we actually got our equal rights along with everyone else due to the battles we fought during the civil rights era of the 60-70s which I was a part of.

Some people just can't accept the fact they won. Have any of you noticed where almost all the "Anti Asian American" incidents are occurring? Well it's not here in REDNECK Texas and very little of it is being perpetrated by white people. It's happening mainly in the WOKE cities of the East and West coast and I think you know what race most of the thugs committing these crimes are. Hint, it's not redneck white people

It's my opinion that I don't too much like them black folk.

You are conflating Chinese people in China with the brave ones who immigrated here. I hardly value obedience over liberty, nor I am the least bit "docile" but you don't hear me whining about "Racist America" or at least not since we actually got our equal rights along with everyone else due to the battles we fought during the civil rights era of the 60-70s which I was a part of. Originally Posted by GaGambler

dont get me wrong. I wasn't implying that you were. its just those who came prior to the 1900 - 1950 had a different cultural mindset.

Some people just can't accept the fact they won. Have any of you noticed where almost all the "Anti Asian American" incidents are occurring? Well it's not here in REDNECK Texas and very little of it is being perpetrated by white people. It's happening mainly in the WOKE cities of the East and West coast and I think you know what race most of the thugs committing these crimes are. Hint, it's not redneck white people

best part of this is that blacks are not charged with hate crimes over anti-asian incidents in east and west coast.