Alderman Robin Rue Simmons | Facebook
Alderman Robin Rue Simmons | Facebook
Evanston, Illinois, may be making history for being the first city in the country to establish reparations for African Americans.
According to Yahoo! News, eligible African American residents of Evanston will receive reparations of up to $25,000 to put toward housing. The city is committed to spend $10M to help African Americans live a better life over the next ten years as recompense for past transgressions, specifically slavery and housing discrimination.
Fifth Ward Alderman Robin Rue Simmons helped push the legislation and she told ABC News of the disparity between the neighborhoods of African Americans and white Americans when she was growing up.
She told them of the time she was asked by her white friends to come over to their houses for a play date. She noticed how different the area was where her family lived compared to the area where her white friends resided. She said, “The streets were wider. The trees were taller. The homes were bigger and brighter. As a young child, I recognized the difference.”
She said fighting to have reparations be approved will help her fellow African Americans live a better life.
Alerts Sign-up