Group Gathers To Announce Proclamation In Support Of Reparations For African-Americans In Evanston

EVANSTON, Ill. (CBS) -- City leaders in Evanston have begun setting up a reparations fund for African-Americans.

"It has become increasingly evident that we must all rise to the challenges of anti-Black racism, and injustices against Black people in our own local communities," said the Rev. Dr. Michael Nabors, President of the NAACP North Shore, as he read from a proclamation calling for reparations and social justice.

Nabors was joined by Evanston Ald. Robin Rue Simmons (5th), Dr. Nichole Pinkard of Northwestern University, Dr. Gilo Kweisi Logan of the Logan Consulting Firm, and a dozen organizations to announce support for the proclamation at a news conference in Fountain Square.

They cited what they called injustices suffered by African-Americans in economics, housing, health care, education, and law enforcement.

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In November 2019, the Evanston City Council approved a measure to direct the first $10 million in tax revenue from recreational marijuana sales to a reparations fund after recreational marijuana was legalized in Illinois effective Jan.1 of this year. The goal is to address the north suburban city's decline in African-American residents and help African-Americans thrive in Evanston, among other issues.

The hope is that by allocating $10 million of marijuana tax revenue into the reparations fund, it will encourage minority business startups and help longtime residents like Walker – ultimately eliminating the wage disparity.