New Jersey Democrats Propose Bill for State Apology and Reparations to All Black Residents
Two New Jersey Democrats, Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson and State Senator Angela McKnight, are co-sponsoring 'The Truth, Reconciliation, and Repair Act of New Jersey.' This bill aims to compel the state to re-apologize for slavery and implement direct reparations payments to all Black residents, regardless of whether they are direct descendants of enslaved people. The proposed legislation is informed by a 2025 report from the New Jersey Reparations Council, titled 'The Nowness of Reparations for Black People in New Jersey.' This report outlines numerous policy changes, including creating a Reparations Bureau, restoring voting rights to incarcerated individuals, expanding free healthcare access to all residents regardless of immigration status, ending cooperation with federal deportations, and establishing a guaranteed income for all state residents. New Jersey previously issued a symbolic apology for slavery in 2008, but the new bill seeks to move from symbolism to accountability and repair.
