The Gray Area with Sean Illing 40 Acres: $14 trillion and no mules
Sep 8, 2022
William “Sandy” Darity and Kirsten Mullen, a husband-and-wife team and authors specializing in reparations, delve into the urgent conversation surrounding reparations for Black Americans. They explore a comprehensive framework that includes acknowledgment of injustices, practical funding strategies for the proposed $14 trillion support, and eligibility criteria based on descent from enslaved ancestors. The discussion challenges smaller local initiatives, advocating for a national program to address systemic inequalities and the long-standing legacy of slavery.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Ancestral History
- Darity's ancestors were enslaved on Rose Hill Plantation in North Carolina, owned by the Boddy family.
- Mullen's ancestors were enslaved by the Wise family in Virginia and in Colbert County, Alabama.
Silence in Family History
- Both families' oral histories stopped abruptly at slavery due to the sensitivity of their ancestors' relationships with slave owners.
- This reluctance to discuss the past stemmed from the complex relationships between enslaved people and their enslavers.
Reframing Reparations
- The focus should be on the U.S. government's debt to Black Americans.
- Black Americans shouldn't have to wait for this debt to be paid.
