Should Reparations Be Paid For African Americans

Ought the United States Federal Government pay reparations to African Americans? Introduction For many years the United States has committed atrocious and discriminatory acts against African Americans. In a seemingly more â€Å"equal† society today many are wondering what debt is owed to the descendants of African Americans. According to Alfred Brophy of University of North Carolina, reparations are defined as, â€Å"programs that are justified on the basis of past harm and that are also designated to assess and correct that harm and improve the lives of victims in the future.† Throughout this paper I will be discussing whether reparations should be paid to African Americans. I will evaluate the question through legal, moral, and political lenses. I will evaluate the start of the movement of reparations while also taking into consideration how reparations have been given in the past. I will also explore new forms/types of reparations that can be given to African Americans. I will also determine the short and long term impacts the implementation of reparations wo uld have on African American society and the society in its entirety. History of Reparations Movement As the country began to recognize that wrongs must be righted the idea of reparations for African Americans started as early as the Reconstruction Era. Around the time of the Reconstruction Era, the first call for reparations was mainly for the purpose of punishing the South, in hopes of hindering the Confederacy. Post theShow MoreRelatedReparations For Slavery During The Civil War1712 Words   |  7 PagesReparations for slavery Reparations for slavery have been a topic among scholars and regular people for years now. 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