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COMMENTARY: Are Blacks Close to Receiving Reparations?

NNPA NEWSWIRE — From a historical perspective, approximately 4,000,000 Africans and their descendants were enslaved in the U.S. and colonies that became the U.S. from 1619 to 1865. The institution of slavery was constitutionally and statutorily sanctioned by the U.S. from 1789 through 1865.

Published

7 years ago

April 19, 2019

Oakland Post

By Jeffrey L. Boney, NNPA Political Analyst

Blacks have been trying to level the economic and societal playing fields in this country for some time. When it comes to the concept of granting “reparations” to Black people as a form of restitution for the years that Blacks spent subjected to the barbaric institution of slavery in America, it has seemingly been overlooked and ignored by the majority of legislators that have come and gone in the U.S. Congress.

Many Blacks have heard and even used the phrase, “40 acres and a mule,” which was a guarantee made to formerly enslaved people of African descent that was the first attempt at seeking to provide some form of reparations to Blacks who had been enslaved.

Of course, history shows us that the decision makers who talked about the idea of providing reparations to people of African descent who were previously enslaved, reneged on their promise, leaving Blacks to work harder and longer to achieve success than those who had enslaved them to begin with. This has proven to be extremely challenging for Blacks.

U.S. history has set precedent for providing reparations to several groups, including Japanese Americans, who have suffered challenges.

In 1942, during World War II, the U.S. created internment camps where roughly 125,000 people of Japanese descent were essentially enslaved as a result of an executive order from then-president Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The rationale for their inhumane detention was that people of Japanese descent were suspected to have been conspiring against the U.S.

Sadly, many of these people were American citizens, but that did not matter because they were forcibly detained and made to move from their homes to the internment camps.

Congress decided to institute a reparation fund after recognizing the actions of the U.S. government resulted in estimated losses of several billion dollars sustained due to the loss of property and the ability to make a living suffered by those of Japanese descent.

As a result, each survivor was eventually awarded $20,000, with approximately 80,000 people of Japanese descent claiming the reparations that they were entitled to.

This action cost the U.S. government approximately $1.6 billion in reparations and remains a dark stain on America’s history.

Here in America, descendants of the people of African descent that were enslaved and experienced some of the cruelest ordeals imaginable, should be looked upon no differently than any other group. As with Japanese Americans during and after World War II, African Americans continue to experience their own unique challenges and issues.

From a historical perspective, approximately 4,000,000 Africans and their descendants were enslaved in the U.S. and colonies that became the U.S. from 1619 to 1865. The institution of slavery was constitutionally and statutorily sanctioned by the U.S. from 1789 through 1865.

African Americans continue to suffer debilitating economic, educational, and health hardships, including but not limited to the nearly 1,000,000 Black people incarcerated, an unemployment rate that is more than twice the current unemployment rate of Whites, and an average wealth of less than 1⁄16 of that of White families, a disparity which has worsened, not improved, over time.

While the focus has been on highlighting the social effects of slavery and segregation, the continuing economic implications remain largely ignored by mainstream analysis. These economic issues are the root cause of many critical issues in the African American community today, such as education, healthcare and criminal justice policy, including policing practices.

The call for reparations represents a commitment to enter a constructive dialogue on the role of slavery and racism in shaping present-day conditions in our community and American society.

Former U.S. Congressman John Conyers Jr. (D-MI) once proposed creating a Commission to study how to appropriately compensate the descendants of slaves for decades, with those conversations falling on deaf ears.

Understanding the unique challenges that African Americans face here in America, U.S. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) is hoping that a bill she is now championing, in the spirit of former Rep. Conyers, gets the level of support and traction needed to help African Americans finally receive the guarantee promised to them back in the late 1800s.

Congresswoman Jackson Lee recently introduced H.R. 40, a bill to establish a Commission to Study and Develop Reparations Proposals for African Americans Act. This piece of legislation would create a Commission aimed at studying the impact of slavery and continuing discrimination against African Americans, resulting directly and indirectly from slavery to segregation to the desegregation process and the present day.

The Commission would also make recommendations concerning any form of apology and compensation to begin the long-delayed process of atonement for slavery.

“The impact of slavery and its vestiges continues to affect African Americans and indeed all Americans in communities throughout our nation, which is why I am pleased to introduce H.R. 40,” said Congresswoman Lee. “This legislation is intended to examine the institution of slavery in the colonies and the United States from 1619 to the present, and further recommend appropriate remedies.”

Congresswoman Jackson Lee states that since the initial introduction of this legislation, its proponents have made substantial progress in elevating the discussion of reparations and reparatory justice at the national level, joining the mainstream international debate on the issue.

She went on to state that some people have tried to deflect the importance of these conversations by focusing on individual monetary compensation, but the real issue is whether and how this nation can come to grips with the legacy of slavery that still infects current society.

According to the bill, the Commission shall be composed of 13 members, who shall be appointed, within 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, as follows:

Three members shall be appointed by the President.
Three members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
One member shall be appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate.
Six members shall be selected from the major civil society and reparations organizations that have historically championed the cause of reparatory justice.

In short, the Commission would be tasked with studying the impact of slavery and the continuing discrimination against African Americans, which has come as a direct and indirect result of slavery, as well as from segregation and other present-day factors.

According to the bill, the Commission would also make recommendations concerning any form of apology and compensation to begin the long-delayed process of atonement for slavery.

Congresswoman Jackson Lee believes that through legislation, resolutions, news, and litigation, Congress is moving closer to making strides towards reparations.

Congresswoman Jackson Lee points out that despite the progress that has been made in this country, including the election of the first American President of African descent, the legacy of slavery still lingers heavily in this nation.

She believes this bill, which seeks to establish a Commission to examine the moral and social implications of slavery, is both relevant and crucial to restoring trust in governmental institutions in many communities, especially during a time where there are many reoccurring issues affecting African Americans in ways that are different from other communities.

“Today there are more people at the table — more activists, more scholars, more CEO’s, more state and local officials, and more Members of Congress,” said Congresswoman Jackson Lee. “I believe that H.R. 40 is a crucial piece of legislation because it goes beyond exploring the economic implications of slavery and segregation. Though the times and circumstances may change, the principle problem of slavery continues to weigh heavily on this country. A federal commission can help us reach into this dark past and bring us into a brighter future.”

Surprisingly, the topic of reparations for slavery for African Americans has intensified, with several Democratic presidential candidates, including Sen. Cory Booker, Sen. Kamala Harris, former San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, Sen. Elizabeth Warren and former Rep. Beto O’ Rourke, each voicing their support for reparations, supporting Rep. Jackson Lee’s bill.

The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), which represents over 200 Black-owned media companies across the U.S., will continue to follow this extremely important legislation and the discussions surrounding this pertinent issue concerning people of African descent all across this country.

Jeffrey L. Boney is a political analyst and international correspondent for the NNPA Newswire and BlackPressUSA.com and serves as Associate Editor for the Houston Forward Times newspaper. Jeffrey is an award-winning journalist, dynamic international speaker, experienced entrepreneur, business development strategist and founder and CEO of the Texas Business Alliance. Follow Jeffrey on Twitter @realtalkjunkies

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A Nation in Freefall While the Powerful Feast: Trump Calls Affordability a ‘Con Job’

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — There are seasons in this country when the struggle of ordinary Americans is not merely a condition but a kind of weather that settles over everything.

Published

2 weeks ago

December 3, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

There are seasons in this country when the struggle of ordinary Americans is not merely a condition but a kind of weather that settles over everything. It enters the grocery aisle, the overdue bill, the rent notice, and the long nights spent calculating how to get through the next week. The latest numbers show that this season has not passed. It has deepened.

Private employers cut 32,000 jobs in November, according to ADP. Because the nation has been hemorrhaging jobs since President Trump took office, the administration has halted publishing the traditional monthly report. The ADP report revealed that small businesses suffered the heaviest losses. Establishments with fewer than 50 workers shed 120,000 positions, including 74,000 from companies with 20 to 49 workers. Larger firms added 90,000 jobs, widening the split between those rising and those falling.

Meanwhile, wealth continues to climb for the few who already possess most of it. Federal Reserve data shows the top 1 percent now holds $52 trillion. The top 10 percent added $5 trillion in the second quarter alone. The bottom half gained only 6 percent over the past year, a number so small it fades beside the towering fortunes above it.

“Less educated and poorer people tend to make worse mistakes,” John Campbell said to CBS News, while noting that the complexity of the system leaves many families lost before they even begin. Campbell, a Harvard University economist and coauthor of a book examining the country’s broken personal finance structure, pointed to a system built to confuse and punish those who lack time, training, or access.

“Creditors are just breathing down their necks,” Carol Fox told Bloomberg News, while noting that rising borrowing costs, shrinking consumer spending, and trade battles under the current administration have left owners desperate. Fox serves as a court-appointed Subchapter V trustee in Southern Florida and has watched the crisis unfold case by case.

During a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Trump told those present that affordability “doesn’t mean anything to anybody.” He added that Democrats created a “con job” to mislead the public.

However, more than $30 million in taxpayer funds reportedly have supported his golf travel. Reports show Kristi Noem and FBI Director Kash Patel have also made extensive use of private jets through government and political networks. The administration approved a $40 billion bailout of Argentina. The president’s wealthy donors recently gathered for a dinner celebrating his planned $300 million White House ballroom.

During an appearance on CNBC, Mark Zandi, an economist, warned that the country could face serious economic threats. “We have learned that people make many mistakes,” Campbell added. “And particularly, sadly, less educated and poorer people tend to make worse mistakes.”

Stacy M. Brown

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The Numbers Behind the Myth of the Hundred Million Dollar Contract

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Odell Beckham Jr. did not spark controversy on purpose. He sat on The Pivot Podcast and tried to explain the math behind a deal that looks limitless from the outside but shrinks fast once the system takes its cut.

Published

2 weeks ago

December 3, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

Odell Beckham Jr. did not spark controversy on purpose. He sat on The Pivot Podcast and tried to explain the math behind a deal that looks limitless from the outside but shrinks fast once the system takes its cut. He looked into the camera and tried to offer a truth most fans never hear. “You give somebody a five-year $100 million contract, right? What is it really? It is five years for sixty. You are getting taxed. Do the math. That is twelve million a year that you have to spend, use, save, invest, flaunt,” said Beckham. He added that buying a car, buying his mother a house, and covering the costs of life all chip away at what people assume lasts forever.

The reaction was instant. Many heard entitlement. Many heard a millionaire complaining. What they missed was a glimpse into a professional world built on big numbers up front and a quiet erasing of those numbers behind the scenes.

The tax data in Beckham’s world is not speculation. SmartAsset’s research shows that top NFL players often lose close to half their income to federal taxes, state taxes, and local taxes. The analysis explains that athletes in California face a state rate of 13.3 percent and that players are also taxed in every state where they play road games, a structure widely known as the jock tax. For many players, that means filing up to ten separate returns and facing a combined tax burden that reaches or exceeds 50 percent.

A look across the league paints the same picture. The research lists star players in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Detroit, and Cleveland, all giving up between 43 and 47 percent of their football income before they ever touch a dollar. Star quarterback Phillip Rivers, at one point, was projected to lose half of his playing income to taxes alone.

A second financial breakdown from MGO CPA shows that the problem does not only affect the highest earners. A $1 million salary falls to about $529,000 after federal taxes, state and city taxes, an agent fee, and a contract deduction. According to that analysis, professional athletes typically take home around half of their contract value, and that is before rent, meals, training, travel, and support obligations are counted.

The structure of professional sports contracts adds another layer. A study of major deals across MLB, the NBA, and the NFL notes that long-term agreements lose value over time because the dollar today has more power than the dollar paid in the future. Even the largest deals shrink once adjusted for time. The study explains that contract size alone does not guarantee financial success and that structure and timing play a crucial role in a player’s long-term outcomes.

Beckham has also faced headlines claiming he is “on the brink of bankruptcy despite earning over one hundred million” in his career. Those reports repeated his statement that “after taxes, it is only sixty million” and captured the disbelief from fans who could not understand how money at that level could ever tighten.

Other reactions lacked nuance. One article wrote that no one could relate to any struggle on eight million dollars a year. Another described his approach as “the definition of a new-money move” and argued that it signaled poor financial choices and inflated spending.

But the underlying truth reaches far beyond Beckham. Professional athletes enter sudden wealth without preparation. They carry the weight of family support. They navigate teams, agents, advisors, and expectations from every direction. Their earning window is brief. Their career can end in a moment. Their income is fragmented, taxed, and carved up before the public ever sees the real number.

The math is unflinching. Twenty million dollars becomes something closer to $8 million after federal taxes, state taxes, jock taxes, agent fees, training costs, and family responsibilities. Over five years, that is about $40 million of real, spendable income. It is transformative money, but not infinite. Not guaranteed. Not protected.

Beckham offered a question at the heart of this entire debate. “Can you make that last forever?”

Stacy M. Brown

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FBI Report Warns of Fear, Paralysis, And Political Turmoil Under Director Kash Patel

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Six months into Kash Patel’s tenure as Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, a newly compiled internal report from a national alliance of retired and active-duty FBI agents and analysts delivers a stark warning about what the Bureau has become under his leadership.

Published

2 weeks ago

December 2, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown

Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

Six months into Kash Patel’s tenure as Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, a newly compiled internal report from a national alliance of retired and active-duty FBI agents and analysts delivers a stark warning about what the Bureau has become under his leadership. The 115-page document, submitted to Congress this month, is built entirely on verified reporting from inside field offices across the country and paints a picture of an agency gripped by fear, divided by ideology, and drifting without direction.

The report’s authors write that they launched their inquiry after receiving troubling accounts from inside the Bureau only four months into Patel’s tenure. They describe their goal as a pulse check on whether the ninth FBI director was reforming the Bureau or destabilizing it. Their conclusion: the preliminary findings were discouraging.

Reports Describe Widespread Internal Distrust and Open Hostility Toward President Trump

Sources across the country told investigators that a large number of FBI employees openly express hostility toward President Donald Trump. One source reported seeing an “increasing number of FBI Special Agents who dislike the President,” adding that these employees were exhibiting what they called “TDS” and had lost “their ability to think critically about an issue and distinguish fact from fiction.” Another source described employees making off-color comments about the administration during office conversations.

The sentiment reportedly extends beyond domestic lines. Law enforcement and intelligence partners in allied countries have privately expressed fear that the Trump administration could damage long-term international cooperation according to a sub-source who reported those concerns directly to investigators.

Pardon Backlash and Fear of Retaliation

The President’s January 20 pardons of individuals convicted for their roles in the January 6 attack ignited what the report calls demoralization inside the Bureau. One FBI employee said they were “demoralized” that individuals “rightfully convicted” were pardoned and feared that some of those individuals or their supporters might target them or their family for carrying out their duties. Another source described widespread anger that lists of personnel who worked on January 6 investigations had been provided to the Justice Department for review, noting that agents “were just following orders” and now worry those lists could leak publicly.

Morale In Decline

Morale among FBI employees appears to be sinking fast. There were a few scattered positive notes, but the weight of the reporting describes morale as low, bad, or terrible. Agents with more than a decade of service told investigators they feel marginalized or ignored. Some are counting the days until they can retire. One even uses a countdown app on their phone.

Culture Of Fear

Layered over that unhappiness is something far more corrosive. A culture of fear. Sources say Patel, though personable, created mistrust from the start because of harsh remarks he made about the FBI before taking office. Agents took those comments personally. They now work in an atmosphere where employees keep their heads down and speak carefully. Managers wait for directions because they are afraid a wrong move could cost them their jobs. One source said agents dread coming to work because nobody knows who will be reassigned or fired next.

Leadership Concerns

The report also paints a picture of leaders unprepared for the jobs they hold. Multiple sources said Patel is in over his head and lacks the breadth of experience required to understand the Bureau’s complex programs. Some said Deputy Director Dan Bongino should never have been appointed because the role requires deep institutional knowledge of FBI operations. A sub-source recounted Bongino telling employees during a field office visit that “the truth is for chumps.” Employees who heard it were stunned and offended.

Social Media and Communication Breakdowns

Communication inside the Bureau has become another source of frustration. Sources said Patel and Bongino spend too much time posting on social media and not enough time communicating with employees in clear and official ways. Several told investigators they learn more about FBI operations from tweets than from internal channels.

ICE Assignments Raise Alarm

Nothing has sparked more frustration inside the FBI than the orders requiring agents to assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The reporting shows widespread resentment and fear over these assignments. Agents say they have little training in immigration law and were ordered into operations without proper planning. Some said they were put in tactically unsafe positions. They also warned that being pulled away from counterterrorism and counterintelligence investigations threatens national security. One sub-source asked, “If we’re not working CT and CI, then who is?”

DEI Program Removal

Even the future of diversity programs became a point of division. Some agents praised Patel’s removal of DEI initiatives. Others said the old system left them afraid to speak honestly because they worried about being labeled racist. The reporting shows a deep and unresolved conflict over whether DEI strengthened the organization or weakened it.

Notable Incidents

The document also details several incidents that have become part of FBI lore. Patel ordered all employees to remove pronouns and personal messages from their email signatures yet used the number nine in his own. Agents laughed at what they saw as hypocrisy. In another episode, FBI employees who discussed Patel’s request for an FBI-issued firearm were ordered to take polygraph examinations, which one respected source described as punitive. And in Utah, Patel refused to exit a plane without a medium-sized FBI raid jacket. A team scrambled to find one and finally secured a female agent’s jacket. Patel still refused to step out until patches were added. SWAT members removed patches from their own uniforms to satisfy the demand.

A Bureau at a Crossroad

The Alliance warns that the Bureau stands at a difficult crossroads. They write that the FBI faces some of the most daunting challenges in its history. But even in despair, a few voices say something different. One veteran source said “It is early, but most can see the mission is now the priority. Case work and threats are the focus again. Reform is headed in the right direction.”