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Evanston, Illinois, becomes 1st city in US to offer Black residents reparations

Virus Outbreak Illinois
Posted at 9:59 AM, Mar 23, 2021
and last updated 2021-03-23 10:09:01-04

EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) — Evanston, Illinois, has become the first U.S. city to make reparations available to its Black residents for past discrimination and the lingering effects of slavery.

The Chicago suburb’s City Council voted 8-1 late Monday to distribute $400,000 to eligible Black households.

Each qualifying household would receive $25,000 for home repairs or down payments on property.

The program is being funded through donations and a 3% tax on the sale of recreational marijuana.

Qualifying residents must either have lived in or been a direct descendant of a Black person who lived in Evanston between 1919 to 1969 and who suffered discrimination in housing because of city ordinances, policies or practices.

Learn more about the city's reparations here.