By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-07-21 15:26:17 | Updated at 2026-08-09 07:33:07
2 weeks ago
Civil rights groups in New York have released a report demanding reparations for black residents, arguing that decades of deliberate racial inequality must be amended.
The New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU), the local chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, and the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) released a report last week titled, The Other New York: The Legacy of Slavery and the Case for Reparations Now.
'This report lays out a clear and undeniable truth: racial inequality in New York is not accidental,' the introduction states.
The NYCLU and LDF broke down the report into seven sections, examining the legacy of slavery on the state, historical housing policies that have negatively impacted black New Yorkers, unfair zoning ordinances, criminal justice disparities, segregated schools, voting discrimination and wealth discrepancy.
'Reparation is the act of making amends for a wrong or injury,' the report continued. 'In order to build a thriving economy and a resilient multi-racial democracy, New York must repair past harm and break down barriers to opportunity for Black communities.'
The organizations argued that even though slavery is most associated with southern states, it still existed in New York and approximately 20,000 people owned slaves.
The report continues that after slavery was outlawed, black New Yorkers were intentionally confined to segregated and impoverished neighborhoods through discriminatory housing policies.
Seneca Village was cited as an example. The thriving enclave existed in the early 1800s in what is now known as Central Park.
The NYCLU and LDF released a report last week arguing for reparations to black New Yorkers. Pictured above is a protest for reparations in 2022
Civil rights advocates have long pushed for reparations across the country to black Americans for the crimes endured during slavery. Pictured above is a protest in DC in 2021
The report cited the destruction of the predominantly black neighborhood of Seneca Village to build Central Park as an example of discriminatory policies
The village consisted of 50 homes and approximately 225 residents, a majority of whom were black, until they were pushed out for the construction of the park.
The NYCLU and LDF also argued that black residents were put at a disadvantage for generations when purchasing homes.
The report cited the GI Bill, legislation that helped World War II veterans purchase low-income housing after the war.
However, the civil rights group argued that black veterans were denied the opportunity to purchase those homes.
The report also argues that redlining has put black New Yorkers at a disadvantage. Redlining occurred during the 1930s when the Homeowners' Loan Corporation (HOLC) created coded maps across the state, which highlighted predominantly black neighborhoods as 'hazardous.'
This made it difficult for black residents to buy property because banks would rarely offer loans for homes in redlined neighborhoods.
'Reparations require acknowledging these harms and committing resources to restore health, wealth, and opportunity in communities that have endured the most environmental burdens for generations,' the report argues.
'The next steps must include dismantling discriminatory zoning practices, prioritizing environmental clean-up, and ensuring that Black communities have the power to shape decisions about their neighborhoods.'
The report also noted wage disparities and criminal justice discrimination as reasons for reparations to black New Yorkers
Housing policies in the early and mid 1900s prevented black neighborhoods, like Harlem, from receiving loans and public funding
In addition to discriminatory housing policies, the NYCLU and LDF also outlined how segregated school districts and policing have put black New Yorkers at a disadvantage.
The report argued that even after schools were desegregated, schools in wealthier and predominantly white neighborhoods were consistently funded more.
The NYCLU cited two examples from 2023 and 2025 when the organization submitted legal briefs accusing New York City schools of discrimination.
The report also noted that data collected in 2020 showed that even though black and white people committed crimes at similar rates, black people were 8.9 times more likely to face felony charges.
The organizations argued that reparations can help repair racial disparities in police violence, arrests, incarceration and sentencing.
In addition, the NYCLU and LDF argue that the median wealth of black New Yorkers is only $18,870, which is significantly less than the average median wealth of white New Yorkers, $276,900.
'These racial economic inequalities will persist without legislation explicitly targeting and remedying the injustices left unresolved by intentional state sanctioned discrimination,' the report concludes.
The report outlined how racism has evolved in New York from slavery up until modern day. Pictured above are protestors demanding reparations in New York at a rally in 2021
Policies for reparations have stalled in New York since Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation establishing a committee to review the topic in 2023
Reparations would not necessarily come in a blank check, but would result in legislation to specifically address the discrepancies the organizations have argued.
New York has not committed to reparations. In 2023, Kathy Hochul signed legislation enacting a committee to examine the state's historical ties to slavery and create recommendations for a solution.
The New York State Community Commission on Reparations Remedies was given a deadline for this summer to submit the proposal, but the state budget extended that deadline for another two years.
Reparations have previously been given to Native Americans for their land and Japanese Americans who were held in internment camps.
