NAACP, unlike Congressional Black Caucus, applauds slavery apology
The U.S. Senate support of a resolution offering a formal apology for slavery has not gone far enough for some members of the Congressional Black Caucus (see previous post), but the NAACP is happy with the action.
The head of the NAACP sent out a statement this morning to the media applauding the action today by senators and is urging the House to follow suit.
“The apology for slavery and the era of Jim Crow segregation is long overdue and is the first step toward healing the wounds of African-American men and women throughout this country,” said NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous.
NAACP’s Hilary O. Shelton, vice president for advocacy, said the resolution “creates a watershed opportunity for Americans of all races, ethnicity and national origins to better understand the historic racial challenges of our nation and work together to craft a solution to the remnants of racism still lingering in our society.”
There is no mention of reparations in the NAACP’s statement.
(3 votes, average: 4 out of 5)
Loading ...
Doug Moore has been a reporter with the Post-Dispatch since February 2000. For the last two years, he has covered diversity and demographics. 
I want the NAACP to apology for all the murders in the urban cities of America. More people have died in our urban cities then died in ww2 Vietnam and Korea. If you think I’m wrong look it up!
WE OWE NOBODY AN APOLOGY. I SAY BITE ME!!!!!!!!!
Yes,slavery was wrong,but me or anyone else alive now was not even born when it was legal.Why should we have to apologized to those who was done wrong so many years ago?
Steve, no one is asking you to apologize if you don’t want to. The government is apologizing as the government. Why in the world you have a problem with someone saying “sorry there was slavery” is beyond me. Is it that big a deal that the Senate drafted a resolution with an apology? Talk about making a mountain out of a molehill…
What a joke. Why does anyone give the NAACP the time of day?
Tim,I’m sorry about your reaction to my rather sincere post on this issue.Wait until you see some of the other post on this blog!
I think the apology is important because it formally recognizes a phenomenon known as “white guilt”. If white Americans are made to feel guilt at the plight of blacks, even if it’s for actions taken centuries before any of the assumed guilty were born, it’s much easier to gain concessions from the repentant. No, reparations were not mentioned in this NAACP declaration, but their time will come.
I agree with Tim. The government of this country needs to apologize for slavery, Jim Crow, and all it’s other “legal” forms of discrimination. When someone wrongs me, it does not matter how long ago, it sticks with me. This country has flat out wronged black people. Not just 400 years ago, not just 200 years ago, in OUR lifetime. An apology is a step in a positive direction. That being said, I need to ask The Gov, Steve, Noel, and Mike: What is the big deal? If the government apologizes for slavery and other past wrongs, will it hurt you? Will it have ANY effect on your life? Are you going to lose anything? The answer is no. So what is your problem? I ask this not to anger or provoke, but I am having a really hard time understanding your point of view. Please take the time to explain, I am sure it will be very interesting.
Steve, I wasn’t trying to respond in anger, although I now see it could read that way. Picture me saying it in a calm and collected voice. That was how I meant it. My bad.
Clyde
Here’s why we as a country don’t need to apology.
When you do it is an admittance of guilt. When you go into a court of law in this country and plead guilty, you are admitting you have wrong another. You then give up your rights to trial. If the government does, it would then let those (blacks) go to court with this guilty plea, and ask to be made whole by the court system from past wrongs admitted by the government. It’s all about money. Do you understand?