Black Civic Network And Village Arms Host Rally At State Capitol To Demand Reparations

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - Black Civic Network and Village Arms gathered at the Minnesota State Capitol Friday afternoon, asking for better treatment of African Americans who are descendants of enslaved people.

They are asking that a reparation plan be put in place to repay centuries-long debts. The United States, they say, became a powerful nation as a result of the work of enslaved people.

"It is time for American Descendants of Slavery (ADOS) to draw a line in the sand, take a hold of our history, lineage, and future, and demand that the centuries long debt owed to ADOS be repaid," said a press release by the Black Civic Network and Village Arms. "ADOS demands the right to decency, ADOS demands true American citizenship. ADOS demands a long-term compensated and reparative, multilayered and phased, reparations plan to redress and rebuild a true ADOS community."

At the rally, multiple people spoke about demanding reparations to specifically protect Black children, so they do not have to face the same systemic racism Black people currently face.