The Spirit of Reparation

Abstract

This Article, the author of which presented the opening and closing remarks and served as moderator for the Boston College Third World Law Journal's reparations symposium, explores reparations for slavery from a spiritual perspective. It briefly traces the history of reparations for African Americans, beginning with General William Tecumseh Sherman's "Forty Acres and a Mule" field order in 1865 and moving through Reconstruction and Jim Crow. The Article next examines the connection between the crimes and injustices of slavery and the current plight of African Americans, arguing that monetary reparations are a viable solution and should be targeted toward Blacks who have failed to succeed economically. The author maintains, however, that the primary purpose of monetary reparations is spiritual rather than practical; America must make a tangible sacrifice in order to heal successfully the nation's deep wounds of shame, anger, and hurt from the legacy of slavery. The Article concludes with a call for the current generation to address America's unsettled and unreconciled history through reparations.