Speakers discuss “racial injustice” in South Bend and the U.S.
The Initiative on Race and Resilience (IRR), Institute for Social Concerns (ISC), Department of Africana Studies, and Department of History hosted “What Does It Mean to Make Amends? A Talk on Reparations” on Thursday, November 14. The student-organized event was held in O’Shaughnessy Hall and featured two student speakers, a discussion panel, and a Q&A session.
The discussion, which 10 students attended, began with a brief introduction from junior Ashley Estelle, who organized the event, followed by two student statements regarding the importance of reparations for black Americans.
In an interview with the Rover, Estelle said, “The main reason I wanted this event [was] to be able to have a conversation on reparations, as it’s not a common thing talked about, especially at Notre Dame. I think people are afraid of even mentioning [reparations] or they simply just don’t understand what it encompasses, not just for one community, but for the U.S. as a whole.”
Following Estelle’s introduction, senior Azariah Fleming took the podium to express her opinion on the importance of reparations: “Black people were promised things throughout history. … The U.S. government makes promises that are oftentimes unkept, and for black people, this is just the tip of the iceberg. We’ve seen laws passed that further exemplified dehumanization and injustice against black people.”
Fleming cited black-owned businesses, families and communities, the environment, and black neighborhoods as the targets of discriminatory laws. Fleming continued, “I’m not sure what reparations look like. I do know for certain what they [don’t] look like.” She referenced government-issued stimulus checks and the naming of Juneteenth as a federal holiday in her examples of what reparations should not include.
Following Fleming’s remarks, senior Faith Woods argued for the importance of reparations. Woods noted various laws resulting in “a 250-year deficit” for which reparations must make amends. Woods referenced a document released by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to stress “… a need for a race-centered economic empowerment plan for African Americans to help build generational wealth.” While Woods described past government compensation towards African Americans as insufficient, she did not provide a definition of reparatory action herself.
A student-led panel discussion followed the student introductions. Three panelists spoke on the issue: Judith Fox, Notre Dame Law School Professor Emeritus; Darryl Heller, director of the IU South Bend Civil Rights Heritage Center; and Trina Robinson, President of the NAACP’s South Bend chapter.
When asked what specific reparative actions should be taken, Daryll Heller replied with reference to his work at the Civil Rights Heritage Center: “We actually are not determining what reparations will look like,” Heller said.
Heller continued, “I don’t think we can talk about reparations without talking about the harm.” He discussed his work at gathering statistics and information to understand the ways in which disparity exists for African Americans in South Bend. To give an example of his work, Heller said, “Our suspicion … is that there’s a disproportionate number of people of color who are stuck in jail because they can’t afford bail.”
Fox agreed with Heller, saying, “… We haven’t identified what the reparation will be at this point, … in order to make this a successful enterprise, the courts have said, basically, we have to identify the harms, and then our reparations have to be reasonably related to fix them.” Fox also cited financial compensation and actions that have been taken by the U.S. government as insufficient.
In response to a question regarding the challenges facing the South Bend Regulatory Justice Commission, Fox referenced the 2024 presidential election results, stating, “One of the biggest challenges we faced happened last Tuesday.”
The panelists continued to reference Donald Trump’s election throughout the event.
During the Q&A session following the panel, one student inquired about the productivity and success of restorative justice efforts: “Looking ahead, are there any markers that you or the restorative justice community use to see how we’re doing? Is there an end goal when you’ll feel like the work is done, or will this work remain ongoing?”
In response, Heller argued that “progress on racial justice has been met with vicious backlash.” Heller included Trump’s reelection in his list of violent and counterproductive actions, saying, “We saw lynching in the civil rights movement, we saw the death of affirmative action … and we saw the election of Trump and the reassertion of whites, white privilege, and white supremacy.”
Heller ended his response to the question by emphasizing the importance of “acknowledg[ing] the humanity and dignity of everyone.” He continued, “This is really about justice, and not just about justice for me and my people, but about justice for all of us. Because I don’t think that justice for any one group, without justice for [another] group, is real justice.”
During the Q&A session, one student expressed his agreement with the content of the discussion: “I’ve always been passionate about black history, about justice.”
A student attendee told the Rover, “While I agreed with the final sentiment that we must treat all with dignity and justice, I didn’t leave the talk with a better understanding of how this can be accomplished. It seemed that the speakers were able to critique actions that have been carried out by the U.S. government without offering productive alternatives or any definition, really, of reparations.”
Clare DiFranco is a sophomore studying accounting who found herself with stacks of Chopin sheet music. Email cdifranc@nd.edu for a private performance of Raindrop Prelude or to suggest a new piece she should learn from her new-found repertoire.
Photo Credit: Notre Dame Initiative on Race and Resilience
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