Mayor Wu’s Task Force on Reparations
Prof. Ted Landsmark and Prof. Richard O’Bryant, along with a team of academics and history experts, are spearheading a groundbreaking research effort to delve into Boston’s involvement in the transatlantic slave trade and its more recent history of discrimination. Divided into two teams, the researchers will cover the period from 1620 to 1940 and from 1940 to the present. By conducting extensive archival research, they aim to produce a comprehensive report that will serve as the foundation for recommendations by the Reparations Task Force formed by Boston Mayor Michelle Wu. The task force, fueled by a $500,000 city allocation, is tasked with drafting a plan to address the economic losses suffered by the Black community due to the enduring impacts of slavery and discrimination. The teams, led by Margaret Burnham of Northeastern University, are expected to conclude their research and present their findings to the task force within a year. This initiative marks a significant step towards addressing historical injustices and fostering reparative measures in the city.