Washington, D.C.-Reparations has been an off and on topic since formerly enslaved African-Americans were promised the famous “40 Acres and a mule” settlement immediately following Emancipation in 1865.

This was supposed to be compensation granted to African-Americans whose ancestors and immediate relatives were forced to provide free labor in the early development of the United States making it the richest nation in the world.

Former Prime Minister of Trinidad, Eric Williams argues in his book, Capitalism and Slavery, that it is unimaginable that European settlers could have developed the United States without slave labor. It is also important to note that slave labor did actually produce the major consumer goods that were the basis of world trade during the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries; coffee, cotton, rum, sugar, and tobacco.

The above mentioned facts along with the “40 Acres” agreement not being honored- led to the current national Reparations movement in America. The question “Should African-Americans receive payment for Slavery?” is now a major topic among politicians and presidential candidates alike who have been forced to acknowledge and address it head on thanks to advocates.

Last week Texas Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee made headlines when she called for a Reparations hearing on Capitol Hill that took place before the Judiciary Committee on June 19th-the first of its kind in a decade. The first hearings were initially held by former Michigan Congressman John Conyers who in 1989 introduced the famous H.R. 40 Bill-a commission that would study the damage and financial amounts that may be owed to African-American descendants of slaves.

During the televised June 19th hearing committee members heard from several prominent African-American Reparations advocates including writer Ta NeHisi Coates, actor Danny Glover, and Economist Dr. Julianne Malveaux.

During his opening comments Coates mentioned, “We honor treaties that date back some 200 years, despite no one being alive who signed those treaties. Many of us would love to be taxed for the things we are solely and individually responsible for. But we are American citizens, and thus bound to a collective enterprise that extends beyond our individual and personal reach.”

His sentiment is felt by many across the nation.

Several prominent African-American activists have announced that on July 1st they will be holding a press conference at Washington, D.C. historic National Press Club to discuss “Reparations and the 2020 Elections” and to announce “National Reparations Day”.

Scheduled speakers are Black Lawyers for Justice Executive Director Atty. Malik Zulu Shabazz, Movement for Black Power Chairwoman Dr. Ame Jenkins, N’COBRA National President Kamm Howard, Historian Dr. Leonard Jeffries, New Black Panther Party National Chairman Hashim Nzinga, among several others.

Mr. Shabazz who is also one of the press conference’s organizers stated that Reparations are a top priority in America while acknowledging the value of last week’s hearing.

“The hearing has great potential. Where we are now is that a great opportunity has been presented. But the ultimate victory has to be earned, and it will take much struggle, much sacrifice-even life and death to prepare for slow and complete Reparations in White America.”

Shabazz who has been organizing since his days at Howard University in the 1990s called for black organizations to forge an alliance centered around this topic.

“Every action and activity we conduct-we’re fighting for a united front on the subject matter. We have called for one hundred black organizations to dialogue and consider uniting with us for the cause of Reparations and establishing a nation of our own.”

The press conference is scheduled to begin promptly at 1pm.

After the event-organizers plan to protest outside of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s D.C. residence for controversial comments he made last week opposing Reparations in which he stated, “I don’t think reparations for something that happened 150 years ago for whom none of us currently living are responsible is a good idea. . . We’ve tried to deal with our original sin of slavery by fighting a civil war, by passing landmark civil rights legislation. We elected an African American president.”