By Philo Yunrui Wang
Although introduced repeatedly, H.R.40, a United States congressional bill advocating for a commission to examine the legacy of slavery and explore reparations, continues to be rejected. The lack of legislative traction stirred up discussions on Black Solidarity Day.
Monica Ciobanu, criminal justice professor, led a session called “Racial Injustices and the Politics of Memory in the United States” on Nov. 24.
Ciobanu explored how America’s seemingly past human rights abuses — particularly slavery, segregation and mass incarceration — continue to echo in modern society. She challenged students to reflect on the role of historical memory and reparation as a means of healing racial injustices.
Throughout the session, Ciobanu highlighted pivotal missed opportunities for racial justice in the United States, beginning with the Reconstruction era in 1863. She detailed how the promises of Reconstruction went largely unfulfilled as reparations were denied to freed slaves, while former slave owners received compensation for loss of property.
This oversight set the stage for continued racial oppression, notably through Jim Crow laws and, more recently, systemic discrimination within the criminal justice system and housing markets.
“While the U.S. has been slow to adopt transitional justice practices, other nations like Canada and Australia have taken earlier steps in acknowledging and addressing their colonial pasts,” Ciobanu said.
The session shifted toward the backlash against addressing racial injustice, with Ciobanu describing the growing counter-movement against historical truth and restorative justice. The recent attempts to alter educational content on slavery and racial history, such as the Florida Board of Education’s push to frame slavery as a “benevolent institution,” were mentioned in the discussion.
“These denials are reminiscent of past efforts to downplay the brutality of slavery, which only perpetuates a culture of ignorance and denial,” Ciobanu said.
In closing, Ciobanu underscored the inevitability of historical reckoning while acknowledging the current social resistance to reparative measures.
“The past never truly goes away,” Ciobanu said. “While widespread societal change might not happen immediately, conversations about the United States’ legacy of injustice will persist and resurface.”
As Ciobanu noted, for meaningful reconciliation to occur, the United States must confront its past openly, allowing for collective healing and the possibility of a more inclusive future.
