On October 26, 2021 the Boston City Council Committee on Civil Rights hosted a hearing on “reparations and their impact on the civil rights of Black Bostonians.” The hearing was sponsored by Councilor Julia Mejia and Councilor Kenzie Bok.

Katie Sandson, Program Director of CRRJ’s Racial Redress and Reparations Lab, submitted written and oral testimony on behalf of CRRJ and the Lab. The testimony highlighted the CRRJ Archive and case investigations, which document a pattern of racial violence and oppression that persisted long after the abolition of slavery and shed light on the ongoing legacies of this history. CRRJ encouraged the City to proceed with a comprehensive process, informed by the voices of the communities most affected, to investigate and document its history and take steps towards repair.

Read CRRJ’s testimony here.