St. Louis reparations commission issues final report and recommendations
St. Louis, Missouri - St. Louis' reparations commission on Tuesday issued its highly anticipated final report and recommendations.
The 124-page final report calls for comprehensive measures to guarantee accountability for historic harms against Black residents and address present-day racial disparities, which trace a direct line to the era of chattel enslavement.
St. Louis' first Black female mayor, Tishaura Jones, signed an executive order to enact the commission in December 2022.
Over the last 18 months, members have conducted research and held 27 public sessions to hear directly from residents about their experiences.
The resulting report traces St. Louis' rise as a hub for the trafficking and sale of enslaved Africans along the Mississippi River.
Institutionally sanctioned racism continued after the formal abolition of slavery through segregation, redlining, and other discriminatory policies designed to deprive Black communities.
St. Louis Reparations Commission recommendations
To chart a new path forward for the city, the commission makes policy recommendations in six main areas:
- Housing and neighborhood development
- Education
- Public health
- Economic justice
- Criminal justice and policing
- Cultural preservation and memory
The proposals include direct cash payments of up to $25,000 and tax relief for designated communities, housing grants for descendants of enslaved people and historically redlined communities, the creation of a community health fund, and more.
A permanent, community-led City Reparations Committee should be established to coordinate the payments and initiatives, with regular opportunities for public feedback.
"This report is a call to action for the city to embrace its responsibility in fostering racial equity and healing, with the hope of building a more just and inclusive future for all St. Louis residents," the commission wrote.
It will be up to the St. Louis Board of Aldermen and mayor to implement the reparations recommendations.
Cover photo: MICHAEL B. THOMAS / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP