Let’s read about reparations.

“Reparations?  For what?”  That is a response you are likely to get when you bring up the subject of reparations among people who are not African-American.  Even the idea of TALKING, yes just talking about Reparations is a bridge too far for many.  So for now, let’s not talk about it, let’s read about it.

A good place to start is with  The Case for Reparations by Ta-Nehisi Coates – The Atlantic.  It’s a long piece but worth every minute.  It is divided into ten chapters so that gives a starting and ending point when things get heavy–and they will get  heavy.  There are also a number of videos that tell the story firsthand and every one of those is worth watching.  (There is also an audio version on the site; it runs an hour and a half.)

This article was published six years ago and much has happened since then.  But if we do want to understand what America has done to its African-American citizens, it is surely a place to start.