Reparations

"The Civil War was the greatest and most successful slave uprising in the history of the county;" and only second in in the world to the Haitian Revolution! Professor Rashid M. Sundiata spoke passionately at the Juneteenth Commemoration held tonight by The Langston Hughes Poetry Society of Pittsburgh.
"We won the war, and saved the county. Abe Lincoln had no plans of freeing us until 100,000 Union Troops deserted the battle fields--that's where emancipation came in."
Professor Sundiata was the last to present, following the sobering readings of 5 slave narratives, and a poignant presentation surrounding HIV and AIDS in Africa to honor Juneteenth, the day that has come to symbolize complete abolition of slavery in America.
Lincoln reasoned black troops were now necessary for the Union benefit of the Civil War, but that they "weren't going to fight if we don't free them," he said. "When those brothers got in--it was over; we won that war.
According to Sundiata, reparations are virtually undeniable.
"It is our birthright."
"We won that war and build the economic foundation of this county," which came with much loss and pain and tears and death.
"For 246 years, from 1619-1865 years, working from when you can't see in the morning 'til you can't see at night. Brothers: bought and sold; Sisters: bought and sold; Mothers: bought and sold; Fathers bought and sold.... Between 22 and 23 generations of slave labor made this country what it is.
"After reconstruction, our people rose up very quickly! Had we been left alone, we would be the most wealthy and powerful ethnic group in this nation--until the 1877 Hayes/Tilden Compromise.
That set us back another 100 years; we lost 100 years.
But people wonder how this country became so rich, "We're the most powerful Nation in the world. How did it happen? Did the dollars fall from the sky" asked Sundiata?
"We built the economic foundation of this country. We built this thing and there is no solution that doesn't include reparations. It is at the very heart of all of our issues economical, cultural and political. All these things center around reparations.
Reparations are at the very heart and are in no way peripherial.
"It'is like synergy: it's your birthright.

Professor Rashid Sundiata is a professor and educator at Community College of Allegheny County, Homewood-Brushton with a focus on African American History.