Why the West Is Morally Bound to Offer Reparations for Slavery

Visuals and videos embedded by AnneofCarversville.com for this article are connected to Legacy Museum in Montgomery, Ala.

Why the West Is Morally Bound to Offer Reparations for Slavery

It is unlikely that former Western slave-trading countries will engage in reparative measures in the near future. The turn toward authoritarianism, xenophobia and racism in Western democracies makes it unlikely that even well-intentioned governments will propose reparations to Africa.

But, despite these political changes in slave-trading nations, there remains a strong case for why the fight for reparations shouldn’t be abandoned.

Apology for the Slave Trade

A 2005 United Nations document discusses different aspects of reparations, including apologies for past harms, the right to know the truth, and financial compensation.

Over the past 15 years (following the 2005 UN report) there has been no progress on these issues, not even over the issuing of an apology.