Reparation, Restoration, Incarceration: Comparative Perspectives on the African-American Reparations Problem

The proposal of reparations to African-Americans for slavery and subsequent offenses has stimulated a great deal of academic attention but little practical action. One reason for this is the indifference of non-black Americans and the lack of historical consciousness in a pragmatic, forward-looking culture. Yet some AfricanAmericans also have mixed feelings about reparations, preferring to concentrate on current problems rather than seek repayment for past wrongs, and perhaps even considering the debate as a divergence from more pressing, immediate problems.