Kansas City approves commission to study reparations, issues apology to Black community

Kansas City is joining an increasing number of communities across the country committed to studying the possibility of making reparations available for Black community members.

On Thursday, Kansas City Council members voted to establish a committee to study reparations.

The ordinance, sponsored by Councilwoman Melissa Robinson, District 3, gives the city 90 days to form a commission, called the Mayor’s Commission on Reparations, that will go on to advise the city about any possible future reparations.

The 13-person commission has not yet been chosen.

The ordinance also served as an apology on behalf of the city and declared the city’s “intent to make amends for its participation in the sanctioning of the enslavement of Black people and any historical enforcement of segregation and accompanying discriminatory practices against Black citizens of Kansas City.”

Councilwoman Heather Hall, District 1, was the only member to oppose the legislation.

“The City of Kansas City’s past actions to support and defend the institution of slavery and segregation era human rights violations has led to substantial disparities in wealth, health, homeownership, criminal justice and educational outcomes for Black Kansas Citians as compared to non-Black Kansas Citians,” the legislation reads.

Why reparations?

Other cities across the country have already established slavery reparations. But Kansas City would still be among the early adopters, if the effort proceeds.

In March 2021, Evanston, Illinois, became the first city to make reparations available to Black residents harmed by past discrimination and the long-term effects of slavery.

Evanston’s city council promised $10 million over 10 years funded by recreational marijuana tax revenue. Qualifying Black households can receive $25,000 for home repairs, down payments on property, and interest or late penalties on property in the city.

Other cities, like Asheville, North Carolina, followed suit. Then California joined in. Last month, Boston, Massachusetts, created a task force too.

Kansas City’s ordinance was written with the help of the KC Reparations Commission. The legislation includes a list of disparities suffered by the Black community, which makes up more than 30% of the city’s population in Kansas City. Examples include:

• A 2016 Kansas City disparity study found that 86 percent of $1.97 billion in local contracts were awarded to white-owned firms; Black-owned firms were awarded 7%.

• Zip code 64128, which is predominantly Black, has the city’s lowest life expectancy at 68.1 years; zip code 64113, which is predominantly white, has the highest life expectancy at 86.3 years.

• More than 75% of white residents are homeowners; fewer than 45% of Black residents are homeowners.

• The median household net worth of white families is $188,200 and the median net worth of Black families is $24,100.

• In 2020, Black drivers were 23% more likely to be stopped by the Kansas City Police Department than white drivers.

What’s next?

The city has 90 days to appoint commission members “who understand and are sensitive to the needs of the Black community,” the ordinance reads.

Robinson made clear that the ordinance passed Thursday does not guarantee reparations.

“This does not set reparations, but provides an opportunity for us to take a look at it, take a look at our contribution and how we repair that,” she said during Tuesday’s Special Committee for Legal Review.

Lucas on Tuesday said the goal, once the commission is established, is to focus on not only national reparation efforts, but also local laws in Kansas City.

“We think that this is an important step that many American cities have taken to make sure that we can look to addressing not just our historical harms, but certainly fundamental concerns that we continue to have in society today,” he said.

The ordinance requires the commission, once established, to study reparations and develop proposals focused on five areas: housing, economic development, health, education and criminal justice. The city will then review and consider the proposals.

The commission is required to submit a preliminary report of its findings no more than a year after its first meeting. A final report is due six months after that.

The truth in Black and white: An apology from The Kansas City Star

“I think that we will have good, open, difficult, but necessary discussion about how we can make sure we’re making amends for concerns dating perhaps back to the founding of this city as the town of Kansas, up through the present day and how we can make this a better city for everyone who lives within it,” Lucas said Thursday.

He welcomed all community members to join in future conversations about reparations.