US Cities Weigh Reparations for Slavery as a New UN Resolution Renews the Global Debate
Should governments pay reparations for slavery? The debate over reparations for slavery is advancing on two fronts this year. In March 2026, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring the transatlantic slave trade "the gravest crime against humanity" and calling for reparations as a step toward remedying historical wrongs, including the return of looted cultural artifacts. The vote passed 123-3, with the United States, Israel and Argentina opposed and 52 countries, including the United Kingdom and all 27 European Union members, abstaining. A U.S. official said the country opposes the historical wrongdoing of slavery but does not recognize a legal right to reparations for acts that were not illegal under international law at the time.
Domestically, city and county task forces have produced findings this year that could shape local policy. Fulton County, Georgia's Reparations Task Force released a 615-page Harm Report in April estimating that enslaved labor made up close to 20% of the county's annual revenue during slavery, translating to nearly $900 billion in today's dollars in stolen labor. Boston's task force, created by city ordinance in 2022, is reviewing its research this year, with officials indicating recommendations are likely to focus on housing, health care and employment policy rather than direct payments. At the federal level, H.R. 40, which would create a commission to study reparations proposals, remains stalled in Congress after Rep. Ayanna Pressley reintroduced it in January 2025 with 96 co-sponsors.
Arguments for:
Proponents point to specific, documented harms, like Fulton County's estimate of nearly $900 billion in stolen labor, arguing that quantifiable modern effects of slavery deserve a concrete remedy, not just an apology.
Supporters note the U.S. has precedent for direct financial redress, including 1988 payments to Japanese Americans interned during World War II and settlements with Native American tribes.
Advocates argue the racial wealth gap, with median white family wealth around $188,200 versus $24,100 for Black families according to Federal Reserve data, traces directly to slavery and the discrimination that followed it.
Arguments against:
Opponents argue no one alive today was enslaved or owned slaves, making it unfair to assign financial liability to current taxpayers for harms committed generations ago.
Critics, including National Review, argue that some of the nations and blocs pushing hardest for reparations also profited from slavery and colonialism themselves, undercutting the moral clarity of the claim.
Skeptics say tracing a direct, provable line from 19th-century slavery to any individual's current economic status is nearly impossible, making a specific dollar figure essentially arbitrary.
What's your take?
Should governments pay reparations for slavery? Yes 
No 
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Sources:
#Reparations #Slavery #RacialJustice #UnitedNations #HR40
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