The Vermont state legislature is currently considering a bill which would establish a task force to study a state apology for slavery and reparations or other remedies for slavery.

H.478, currently before Vermont’s House Committee on Government Operations, provides that this task force would, among other duties, document the history of slavery in the United States, as well as racial discrimination since that time.

The task force would recommend how to issue “a State apology … for the institution of slavery,” further described as:

“a formal apology on behalf of the people of Vermont for the perpetration of gross human rights violations and crimes against humanity on African slaves and their descendants.”

The task force’s other recommendations would address a variety of issues related to reparations, or other remedies, for slavery and the long history of racial discrimination since that time.

The bill, with six sponsors, doesn’t quite acknowledge that slavery was practiced in Vermont for a long time, instead using the language above about committing “gross human rights violations and crimes against humanity” perpetrated against “African slaves.” But Vermont’s past involvement in slavery would surely be clarified by the extensive historical documentation the task force would be charged with under the bill’s provisions.

Between 2006 and 2009, eight states in the North and South issued apologies for slavery, and many other states have considered doing so. H.478 appears to be closely modeled on H.R. 40, legislation introduced into every U.S. Congress since 1989, and which would similarly provide a national commission to study the history of slavery and racial discrimination and make recommendations on a national apology and appropriate remedies.

2 Responses to “Vermont weighs apology, reparations for slavery”

  1. 1:17 am, 2 May, 2019.
    tom says:

    My grand father is a jew. Everyone knows that jews were slaves in Egypt. According to blacks Egypt was a black run empire in history. I demand reparations!

  2. 2:57 pm, 5 May, 2019.
    James DeWolf Perry says:

    I assume you're not actually trying to belittle the attempt to seek justice for the legacy of slavery and racism in the U.S. today, but genuinely confused about the nature of the effort.

    Whether or not you agree with the movement for reparations for slavery and racial discrimination, it's about seeking restitution for these offenses from the government and society responsible for them, on behalf of those who, today, continue to suffer the consequences. The U.S. government, economy, and people derive benefits today from our history of enslavement and racial oppression, while the legacy of this history continues to plague black Americans. These facts are hard to dispute.

    Obviously, Jews today no longer suffer the consequences of their distant ancestors' enslavement in ancient Egypt, nor do the government or people of Egypt today continue to benefit from those events, thousands of years ago. These facts, too, are hard to dispute.

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