Lynette Mackey, who grew up in San Francisco’s Fillmore district, is now demanding compensation for the material and emotional damage caused by urban policies that affected the black community. Fillmore, known as the “Harlem of the West” in its heyday, suffered the consequences of new urban policies in the 1960s and 1970s that forced many residents, including the Mackey family, to sell their properties at low prices. Mackey feels that his family lost much more than just property; the emotional fabric of a happy family was also destroyed.
The reparations debate in the United States has existed for decades but became more relevant in 2020 after the murder of George Floyd and the mass protests against systemic racism. The city of Evanston, Illinois, became the first to pass a racial inequality compensation plan, and California established a multidisciplinary team to evaluate ways to compensate for years of slavery and the economic impact of racism.
The landmark report submitted by the California task force proposes a formula based on several variables to calculate the value of economic reparations without specifying a specific dollar amount.For example, a 70-year-old of African descent could receive approximately $1.4 million in compensation. However, some proposals, such as San Francisco’s proposal to pay $5 million to each African-American, have been deemed unfeasible because of their financial cost. For African Americans, financial compensation is not only a matter of justice; inclusive policies must also be implemented to address racial inequalities. According to experts, the decline of the black population in San Francisco is due to the discriminatory policies of local authorities. Urban renewal in Fillmore was devastating to the community, as many lost their homes and businesses. Jazz landmarks and clubs frequented by prominent musicians were replaced by new establishments.
The Fillmore community believes the urban policies were a form of apartheid and is demanding compensation for the damage done. Pastor Amos Brown, who has been preaching in the district since 1976, urges politicians to commit to reparations and to settle America’s historic debt to African Americans.