Recent news out of California bears paying attention to.

From Los Angeles Times newspaper:

“California’s Reparations Task Force voted Tuesday to define those who are eligible for reparations as descendants of African Americans enslaved in the U.S. or of free Black people living in the country before the end of the 19th century.”

“After hours of tense debate, the group voted to tie reparations to lineage.”

“Several genealogy experts raised concerns that some descendants might not be able to prove their ancestral connections because the names of African Americans who were enslaved changed, some records don’t exist or were destroyed or details changed in stories passed down from one generation to the next.

Genealogist Kellie Farrish told the task force that proving lineage to any African American who lived in the United States prior to 1900 could suffice because so few were allowed into the country voluntarily from Africa or the Caribbean before that period.”

“What reparations will eligible African Americans receive?

That’s still undecided. The task force is not expected to produce a detailed proposal outlining specific recommendations for reparations until July 2023. Then the California Legislature must pass those recommendations in a new law approved by the governor to take effect.”

Here are additional news articles discussing this matter:

apnews.com: California reparations plan advances movement, advocates say

calmatters.org: California task force: Reparations for direct descendants of enslaved people only

msn.com: Who should receive reparations in California for slavery? Answers raise more questions

npr.org: California group votes to limit reparations to slave descendants

nypost.com: California task force votes to limit reparations to slave descendants

nytimes.com:

Who Should Get Reparations in California?

“A task force in charge of the state’s reparations effort, the first in the nation, is struggling to decide which Black Californians should receive payments.”

usatoday.com: California reparations task force set to vote on compensation for Black citizens

There are scores of think pieces surrounding other occurrences that took place in California earlier this week; however, those conversations, ultimately rooted in entertainment, do not speak to our very real situation across the nation.

While that clamoring goes on, others are watching and waiting for the next development in the state of California reparations legislation.

That situation, which will reverberate farther than any slap could, is our situation. Take this time to find your people. We are the lineage.

Ain’t no fooling…

The Genealogy Situation Room