Kathy Hochul creates 'reparations commission' to right the wrongs of slavery in New York, joining California and Illinois

On Tuesday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) signed legislation to create a reparations commission, which is intended to "right the wrongs" of slavery and racial discrimination.

According to Hochul's office, the state commission will be responsible for investigating the enduring consequences of slavery, including "subsequent discrimination against people of African descent, and the impact these forces continue to have in the present day."

The composition of the commission will consist of nine individuals. Three members will be appointed by the state Senate president, three members appointed by the speaker of the state Assembly, and three members appointed by the governor, according to ABC News.

The legislation establishing the commission states that its members will examine the historical and enduring consequences of slavery in both the state and New York City. This would include an examination of the capture and transportation of Africans to the region, the trade and procurement of slaves, the advantages gained by New York from these transactions, the treatment of slaves, and other related matters, the outlet reports.

"Joined by leaders in the movement for racial justice, today New York took a bold step to right the wrongs of the past. Together, we will reckon with New York's legacy of slavery and discrimination, and work towards a more just, equitable future for all of our communities," said Gov. Hochul on X.

"Nearly 400 years after the first enslaved Africans arrived in New York, the legacy of this injustice still holds us back. That's why I just signed a law creating a Community Commission on Reparations that will study this legacy and make recommendations on the path forward," Hochul added.

The legislation specifies that one year following the commission's first meeting, which must occur by mid-June, the panel will present a written report to state authorities that includes its conclusions and recommendations.

In a Tuesday presser announcing the commission, Gov. Hochul cited data from the New York Historical Society which shows that approximately 20 percent of colonial New Yorkers were enslaved Africans during the time of slavery in the United States.

"It's not talked about a lot. That's a problem," Hochul said. "Here in New York, there was a slave market where people bought and sold other human beings with callous disregard. It happened right on Wall Street for more than a century. And even though it officially closed when slavery was abolished in New York in 1827, our state still remained a dominant player in the illegal slave trade."

"What's hard to embrace is that our state flourished from that slavery. It's not a beautiful story, but indeed it is the truth," Hochul added. "Today, I challenge all New Yorkers to be patriots and rebuke and not excuse our role in benefiting from the institution of slavery."

"If this committee can present a viable path forward to helping the descendants of New York slaves and addressing the harms and disparities that exist in education, that exist in healthcare, that exist in the environment, that will lift all of us up," said Hochul.

This makes New York the third Democrat-controlled state to create a reparations commission, joining California and Illinois.

Additionally, a number of cities around the country have established their own reparations programs, which include San Francisco, California, Evanston, Illinois and Palm Springs, California.