To the Editor:
The New Jersey Reparations Council’s report “For Such a Time as This: The Nowness of Reparations for Black People in New Jersey,” released on Juneteenth this year, offers a clear reckoning with our state’s overlooked history of slavery, Jim Crow, and systemic racial discrimination, and a bold blueprint for transformative change. The result of two years of research by experts in several fields, the report details 96 policy proposals to address the state’s ongoing racial discrepancies in wealth, maternal health, education, and more.
As members of Not in Our Town Princeton’s Truth & Transformation, we celebrate its vision and urge the implementation of its policy proposals. (The report is available at njisj.org.)
The report shows a $643,000 racial wealth gap between Black and white families in New Jersey. In Princeton, the impact is seen in lower Black homeownership and educational gaps, among others. We need place-based policies: economic investments, housing reparations, scholarships, and restorative justice. These targeted actions can begin closing gaps rooted in centuries of injustice.
We must know our city’s history: Enslaved African Americans provided the labor for many aspects of Princeton institutions and enterprises. Further, Princeton benefited from the labor and wealth derived from slavery in the south, impacting the infrastructure and development of the area. Too many of us are unaware of this legacy. We invite everyone to explore archives, attend community forums, and listen to Princeton’s Black elders. Not In Our Town Princeton (NIOT) started community conversations about reparations in 2017. A few Princeton institutions are doing their own reckoning. In January of this year, NIOT co-sponsored a panel with representatives from major Princeton institutions that have made efforts to examine their role in sustaining slavery – Morven, Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton University, and Nassau Presbyterian Church.
This is our moment to continue to educate ourselves and move towards accountability and justice. We call on all residents, groups, and leaders to learn about New Jersey Reparations, read and share the report available at njisj.org; advocate for a Princeton Reparations Task Force; and work with local partners on projects to repair the harm. Even small steps will build momentum toward lasting repair. Together, we can create a new era of equity and flourishing for all residents.