Atlanta moves ahead with reparations plans for black residents

The Atlanta City Council recently approved a resolution to appoint members to the city’s Reparations Study Commission, officially launching the next phase of its plan to examine potential reparations plans.

The commission includes 14 members representing city leadership, community groups, and academic institutions. It was established to research and document “the City of Atlanta’s historical role in the legal discrimination of African American residents.” It is expected to recommend “potential remedies to address the resulting economic, educational, health and social disparities," per Rough Draft Atlanta.

The Reparations Study Commission was first adopted by the City Council in 2023. It is expected to deliver a preliminary report by the end of December 2025 unless that deadline is extended by the council.

The commission has already begun gathering public input through community meetings, and just last month held a public forum. While local governments lack the authority to issue checks, many proposals being discussed include things like housing down payment assistance, rental assistance, and educational programs, among others.

“When people say reparations and think about getting a check, municipalities in Georgia, even local counties, can’t do that,” said Atlanta City Councilman Michael Julian Bond, according to WSB-TV. “We want people to know this is going to be based on serious scholarly research.”

Atlanta joins several other jurisdictions in Georgia that are exploring reparations measures. Fulton County has created its own task force to examine the issue, and the city of Decatur has initiated similar efforts. Asheville, North Carolina, recently abandoned its reparations plans after receiving a warning from the Department of Justice that the recommendations reached by the committee would violate federal civil rights law.