It is past time to confront and repair the ongoing harms of chattel slavery.
Black people in the United States continue to be impacted by the legacy of slavery, with the multigenerational devastation of enslavement reflected in persistent inequities in health, housing, education, economic opportunity, policing and law enforcement.
The federal government has failed to provide economic redress to Black Americans for centuries of unpaid, forced labor and the ongoing consequences of systemic discrimination. Building a more just society requires honest reckoning and steps toward accountability and repair.
The adoption of H.R. 40/S. 40, known as the Development of a Commission to Study and Develop Reparations Proposals for African Americans Act, would establish a federal commission to study the legacy of slavery, Jim Crow segregation, redlining, and other forms of systemic racial discrimination against African Americans.
Named after the unfulfilled promise of “forty acres and a mule,” the legislation seeks to create a national process of truth-telling, historical accountability, and policy development regarding the enduring consequences of slavery and racial discrimination in the United States.
The commission would hold hearings, gather evidence, engage scholars and community stakeholders to examine the economic, political, educational, and social impacts of slavery and its lingering effects, and to study the role of federal and state governments in supporting the institution of slavery. This work would culminate in a report to Congress that could include proposals such as a formal apology, educational initiatives, institutional reforms, or forms of reparations.
The United Methodist Church, through its Social Principles and resolutions, condemns and recognizes the ongoing harm done to the African American community through chattel slavery.
“As United Methodists, we follow in the footsteps of our founder, John Wesley, who sought to improve the lives of those who suffered from debilitating conditions such as poverty, starvation, illiteracy, imprisonment, slavery, addictions and disease.” (Social Principles, Economic Challenges, B. Poverty and Income Inequality).
The Book of Resolutions speaks boldly to the history and impact of chattel slavery, calling on each congregation “to participate in local studies of reparations and write letters of support for H.R. 40/S. 40 to their congressional representatives.” (2020/2024 Book of Resolutions, #3335, Reparations)
Forgiveness without structural repair amounts to very little.
This content was originally published by the General Board of Church and Society; republished with permission on ResourceUMC.org on June 18, 2026.