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National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America

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National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America
Founded1987; 37 years ago (1987)[1]
FoundersImari Obadele and Chokwe Lumumba
TypeCivil rights organization
PurposeAdvocates for financial compensation for the descendants of former slaves in the United States
Location
  • U.S.
National Co-Chair
Kamm Howard[2][3][4][5]
Websitewww.officialncobraonline.org

The National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America (N'COBRA) is an organization that advocates for financial compensation for the descendants of former slaves in the United States.[6][7][8][9]

History

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The National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America was founded September 26, 1987,[10] for the purpose of spreading information and supporting the long-term goal of gaining reparations for slavery in the United States.[11] Founders of N’COBRA were Imari Obadele[12][13] and Chokwe Lumumba;[14] other founders included the National Conference of Black Lawyers, the New Afrikan Peoples Organization, and the Republic of New Afrika.[10]

In 1994, N'COBRA hosted a national gathering of members in Detroit. One of the speakers was Queen Mother Moore,[15] a founder of the Republic of New Afrika.

Organizational structure

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The work of N'COBRA is based on nine national commissions:[10][16]

  • Economic Development
  • Human Resources
  • Legal Strategies
  • Legislation
  • Information and Media
  • Membership and Organizational Development
  • International Affairs
  • Youth
  • Education

N'COBRA membership is broken down into three categories: individual members, national and local organizational chapters, and organizational affiliates. N’COBRA membership is seen in many different parts of the United States[6] (such as Philadelphia)[17] and in parts of Africa, Europe, Central, and South America, and the Caribbean.[10]

Primary leadership for the organization is handled by a national board of directors.

Positions

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The stated mission of the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America is:

...to win full Reparations for Black African Descendants residing in the United States and its territories for the genocidal war against Africans that created the TransAtlantic Slave "Trade" Chattel Slavery, Jim Crow and Chattel Slavery’s continuing vestiges (the Maafa). To that end, NCOBRA shall organize and mobilize all strata of these Black communities, into an effective mass-based reparations movement. NCOBRA shall also serve as a coordinating body for the reparations effort in the United States. Further, through its leadership role in the reparations movement within the United States and its territories, NCOBRA recognizes reparations is a just demand for all African peoples and shall join with others in building the international reparations movement.[18]

Since at least 2017, N'COBRA has advocated for reparations compensation to be in the form of community rehabilitation and not payments to individual descendants of slavery.[19]

In 2022, Taiwo Kujichagulia-Seitu of N'COBRA described the organization's goals for "full repair":

It can't just be a check. So one of the biggest things in terms of full repair is we have to eliminate that myth of white supremacy.... [L]et's pretend every Black person in this country was given land and that we were able to ... start catching up economically. That would not eliminate that myth of white supremacy, which means, the minute we're off our land, we could still be profiled by the police..., we would still have certain harms done to us. So when we talk about full repair, we have to look at solutions that target every single issue. And financial payments or money is not enough to fully repair what has gone wrong as a result of enslavement and colonization and now this belief in racism.[20]

Juneteenth

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N'COBRA has recognized Juneteenth — commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans — as a holiday since the early 1990s.[16]

H.R. 40

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H.R. 40, entitled the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act, is a Congressional reparations study bill that has been introduced by Representatives John Conyers (D-MI) and Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) to every Congress since 1989.[2]

In 2001, N'COBRA came out in support H.R.40; in fact, the organization, working with chief legal consultant Adjoa Aiyetoro, was preparing a lawsuit against the federal government to demand reparations.[7]

2016 Movement for Black Lives policy platform

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In August 2016, the Movement for Black Lives, a coalition that is tied to the Black Lives Matter movement, released a policy platform based around reparations.[21] The platform listed six demands, comprising 40 policy recommendations, and "seeks reparations for lasting harms caused to African-Americans of slavery and investment in education and jobs."[22] Reuters lauded the announcement of this platform as "the first time these Black-led organizations linked to the decentralized Black Lives Matter movement have banded together to write a comprehensive foundational policy platform."[22]

Criticism

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Critics of N'COBRA claim that the organization has done little to advance the cause of reparations in the U.S.[23][24] Reparations scholar William A. Darity Jr., for instance, wrote, "The ... NCOBRA agenda will not result in a reparations plan that will provide direct payments to black American descendants of U.S. slavery."[24]

Notable current and former members

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See also

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Further reading

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  • Aiyetoro, Adjoa; Davis, Adrienne D. (19 Jun 2010). "Historic and Modern Social Movements for Reparations: The National Coalition for Reparations in America (N'COBRA) and its Antecedents". Washington University in St. Louis Legal Studies Research Paper No. 10-06-08. SSRN 1626991.
  • Karenga, Maulana (22–23 June 2001). "The Ethics of Reparations: Engaging the Holocaust of Enslavement" (PDF). The National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 August 2017. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  • Taifa, Nkechi; Lumumba, Chokwe (1993) [1983, 1987]. Reparations Yes (3rd ed.). Baton Rouge: House of Songhay.

References

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b Sinha, Manisha (September 20, 2019). "The Long History of American Slavery Reparations: From the colonial era to today, the bitter legacy of bondage and racial oppression has sparked demands for compensation, with some successes and many broken promises". Wall Street Journal.
  2. ^ a b RIVAS, REBECCA (June 17, 2022). "Reparations for Black Americans seeing unprecedented national support, advocates say: As Juneteenth nears, civil rights groups call on president to sign executive order to begin reparations process". Missouri Independent.
  3. ^ Brown, Maya (February 26, 2022). "Jewish and Japanese American groups among growing multiracial effort calling for reparations for Black Americans". CNN.
  4. ^ MARCELO, PHILIP (March 10, 2021). "A price tag on trauma? College town weighs Black reparations". Associated Press.
  5. ^ Grove, Rashad (March 16, 2023). "NEWS & POLITICS: SAN FRANCISCO BOARD APPROVES $5 MILLION REPARATION PAYMENTS FOR BLACK RESIDENTS". Ebony.
  6. ^ a b Williams, Lena (July 21, 1994). "Blacks Press the Case for Reparations for Slavery". The New York Times.
  7. ^ a b Lewin, Tamar (June 4, 2001). "Calls for Slavery Restitution Getting Louder". The New York Times.
  8. ^ Serino, Kenichi; Stabley, Justin (September 16, 2022). "What to know about calls for reparations for Britain's legacy of slavery in the Caribbean". PBS.
  9. ^ MACARAEG, SARAH; KUNICHOFF, YANA (March 21, 2017). "How Chicago Became the First City to Make Reparations to Victims of Police Violence: The ordinance provides a meaningful model for creating reparations at the local level". Yes!.
  10. ^ a b c d "What is N'COBRA?". ncobra.org. National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  11. ^ Coates, Ta-Nehisi (June 2014). "The Case for Reparations". The Atlantic. In the 20th century, the cause of reparations was taken up by a diverse cast that included the Confederate veteran Walter R. Vaughan, who believed that reparations would be a stimulus for the South; the black activist Callie House; black-nationalist leaders like "Queen Mother" Audley Moore; and the civil-rights activist James Forman. The movement coalesced in 1987 under an umbrella organization called the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America (N'COBRA).
  12. ^ Martin, Douglas (February 5, 2010). "Imari Obadele, Who Fought for Reparations, Dies at 79". The New York Times.
  13. ^ "In the News: Mayor Sarno, Representative Williams and Officials Celebrate 37th Annual Black American Heritage with Special Flag Raising Ceremony". springfield-ma.gov. City of Springfield, Massachusetts. February 1, 2023.
  14. ^ Winbush, Raymond (2010). Should America Pay?: Slavery and the Raging Debate on Reparations. New York, NY: HarperCollins.
  15. ^ Pace, Eric (May 7, 1997). "Queen Mother Moore, 98, Harlem Rights Leader, Dies". The New York Times.
  16. ^ a b Castro, Gina (February 23, 2023). "National Reparations Awareness Day celebrated, but not well known". Evanston RoundTable.
  17. ^ Levy, Jordan (January 20, 2023). "Philadelphia is open to exploring a reparations task force, city says, after advocates push for action: The idea of a formal commission is backed by activists, Council members, and at least one mayoral candidate". Billy Penn.
  18. ^ "About: Our Mission". officialncobraonline.org. National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  19. ^ Michelle Chen (March 7, 2007). "Bill to Study Slavery Reparations Still Facing Resistance". The NewStandard. Archived from the original on 17 March 2007. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
  20. ^ California Is A Step Closer To Reparations. Not All Black Residents Will Qualify. NPR. April 21, 2022.
  21. ^ Alcindor, Yamiche (August 1, 2016). "Black Lives Matter Coalition Makes Demands as Campaign Heats Up". The New York Times.
  22. ^ a b Johnson, Eric M. (August 2, 2016). "Slavery reparations sought in first Black Lives Matter agenda". Reuters.
  23. ^ Changamire, Kofi (Aug 1, 2019). "Dereliction of Duty; The 30 year tenure of N'COBRA". Medium.
  24. ^ a b Brown, Ann (May 3, 2022). "Are NAARC And N'COBRA Blocking A Modern, Lineage-Based Reparations Claim?". The Moguldom Nation.
  25. ^ "N'Cobra Organizational Leadership Roundtable Report" (PDF). N'Cobra.org. 2004. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  26. ^ "How The City Of Evanston Is Paying Reparations: Robin Rue Simmons shares how Evanston, Illinois created a restorative housing fund that enabled 16 Black seniors to make home improvements or mortgage payments". Next City. September 14, 2022.

Sources

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