An Illinois city has announced that it will issue reparations payments to a select number of its black residents. The reparations committee for Evanston, Illinois, announced it will award $25,000 in reparations to 44 of its black residents. The city has previously pledged to award $10 million over 10 years to black residents.
The program was created in 2019 and approved by the city council in 2021 with the intention of providing black residents with cash payments if they lived or descended from black ancestors who lived in the city between 1919 and 1969 and experienced housing discrimination.
City official Cynthia Vargas told the Chicago Tribune that the payments are intended to assist with housing expenses. Tasheik Kerr, assistant to the city manager, stated in a meeting last week that the residents will be contacted directly to be notified that the payment is on its way.