Reparations: A Strategy for Economic Justice and National Renewal

Prepared by: Rodney LaBruce, Candidate for U.S. Congress (TX-30) Unified Advocacy and Leadership Coalition (UALC)

Executive Summary: The Debt of Generations

Reparations are not charity; they are a long-overdue settlement for a historical debt. From the era of chattel slavery through the state-sanctioned theft of the Jim Crow era, redlining, and the GI Bill exclusion, Black Americans have been systematically prevented from building and retaining wealth.

As documented by economists William A. Darity Jr. and A. Kirsten Mullen, the racial wealth gap is the cumulative result of centuries of policy. Closing this gap requires a bold, multi-layered federal program—not symbolic gestures, but a true reckoning that provides the descendants of the enslaved the chance to stand on their own legs.

The Economic Case: By the Numbers

The "wealth gap" is not a product of modern choices, but of historical compounding. Current data highlights the urgency of this intervention:

• The Wealth Multiplier: As of 2024 data, the median White household holds approximately $285,000 in wealth, while the median Black household holds just $44,900. For every $100 held by a White family, a Black family has only $15.
• The Education Myth: Education alone cannot fix this. A Black household headed by someone with a college degree typically has less wealth than a White household headed by someone with only a high school diploma.
• The Total Debt: Economists estimate that a comprehensive reparations package should total at least $14 trillion to bridge the racial wealth gap and compensate for the present value of the "40 acres" promise that was made and then broken in 1865.

The Five Pillars of the UALC Reparations Plan

1. Direct Cash Payments

• Structure: Eligibility is limited to American Descendants of Slavery (ADOS).
• Distribution: A structured payout of $250,000 per person distributed over 10 years to ensure long-term stability and prevent economic shock.
• Protections: These funds would be federally protected from taxation and seizure by creditors.

2. Land Grants and Housing Justice

• Land Allocation: Free land grants in historically Black regions where communities were displaced by "urban renewal" and eminent domain.
• Tax Relief: Full property tax forgiveness for current ADOS homeowners in gentrifying areas to prevent displacement.

3. Economic Empowerment Grants

• Business Capital: Startup and expansion grants (not loans) for ADOS entrepreneurs to build a robust Black-owned economy.
• Homeownership: 0% interest mortgage programs and down-payment assistance to ensure wealth-building through home equity.

4. Total Educational Debt Cancellation

• Student Loans: Immediate cancellation of all student loan debt for ADOS individuals.
• Future Access: Free tuition at public universities and HBCUs for future ADOS students, paired with funding for vocational apprenticeships.

5. National Reparations Trust Fund (NRTF)

• Sustainability: A multi-billion-dollar endowment to fund infrastructure, healthcare, and community development in Black neighborhoods indefinitely.
• Management: Managed by Black-led organizations, modeled after successful tribal trust fund structures.

A New Legislative Strategy: Beyond "Study"

For decades, H.R. 40 has remained stalled in the House Judiciary Committee. While it raised awareness, "study" is no longer enough. We propose the Federal Reparations Commission Act, which would:

1. Mandate Action: Require the commission to produce enforceable legislative language, not just academic reports.
2. Define Eligibility: Explicitly limit reparations to ADOS to ensure those whose ancestors' labor was stolen are the ones compensated.
3. Bypass Gridlock: Set a strict 18-month timeline for the commission to present a final Reparations Act to Congress.

The Legal and Public Path

Our strategy uses every tool available:

• Legal Action: Filing lawsuits against financial institutions and universities that were built on or profited from the slave trade.
• Public Advocacy: Mobilizing a national "Reparations Day of Action" and partnering with HBCUs to train the next generation of activists to lead this movement.

Conclusion: A Promise Fulfilled

Reparations are the only path to a "More Perfect Union." It is time to stop asking Black Americans to catch up in a race where they were held at the starting line for 250 years. The debt is real, the math is clear, and the time for payment is now.