The Atlanta City Council approved a program to study reparations for descendants of slavery in Atlanta.
The reparations commission held a board meeting in May to discuss the history of discrimination against Black residents, 11Alive reports.
Only a small group of Atlantans – who are direct descendants – will receive the reparations. Atlanta is a melting pot of citizens who migrated to the Peach city from other states and around the world.
Those residents are excluded from reparations consideration.
Instead of offering direct cash payments to Black residents, the commission will study ways to provide resources to descendants of historically enslaved Atlantans.
“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. “We want people to know this is going to be based on serious scholarly research.”
The commission will consider reparations in the form of job training and educational opportunities through existing grants and partnerships.
Some residents say that will never be enough.
“There will never be a way they can repay us though, never, ever,” said resident Anthony Gaston.
The commission will deliver a preliminary reparations plan by the end of the year, WSB reports.
