Boston reparations activists demand 'white churches' 'publicly atone for the sins of slavery' and 'extend their great wealth' to the 'black community'

A group of Boston activists for reparations has called on "white churches" to "commit to reparations," coming as the group has urged for the Massachusetts city to pay $15 billion in reparations to black residents. 

A group of black and white clergy members gathered in Roxbury on Saturday to push for the churches to pay reparations, delivering their message in a news conference organized by the Boston People’s Reparations Commission, according to the Boston Globe. 

"We call sincerely and with a heart filled with faith and Christian love for our white churches to join us and not be silent around this issue of racism and slavery and commit to reparations," Rev. Kevin Peterson said. 

Peterson is known for pushing to rename the famed Faneuil Hall because of its namesake’s ties to the slave trade. 

“We point to them in Christian love to publicly atone for the sins of slavery and we ask them to publicly commit to a process of reparations where they will extend their great wealth — tens of millions of dollars among some of those churches — into the Black community,” said Peterson. 

Peterson said that an open letter, signed by 16 clergy and faith leaders, sent Friday to several churches that the group wants to support reparations. Ways the church could provide reparations, the letter stated, included cash payments, creating affordable housing, and help in backing new "financial and economic institutions in Black Boston." 

Co-director of the Boston People’s Reparations Commission Edwin Sumpter said the Saturday news conference, held in the basement of Resurrection Lutheran Church because of the rain, marked the first time in the city’s history that clergy from different houses of worship gathered to express their support for reparations. 

Rev. John E. Gibbons of Arlington Street Church said that a number of churches in the area have begun researching their history and discuss reparations, but more work needed to be done. 

"That is not enough," said Gibbons. "Somehow we need to move with some urgency toward action and so part of what we’re doing is to prod and encourage white churches to go beyond what they have done thus far." 

The letter was reportedly sent to Arlington Street Church, Trinity Church, and Old South Church in Boston’s Back Bay, as well as King’s Chapel downtown, all of which were established in the 17th and 18th centuries.