St. Louis is creating a commission to consider paying reparations to descendants of the victims of racist policies – raising interesting challenges in a struggling city of 300,000 where 45 percent of residents are black.
Democrat mayor of St. Louis Tishaura Jones on Wednesday signed an executive order to create a nine-member volunteer commission to explore and recommend reparations – following a lead set by cities in Illinois, California and Rhode Island.
‘The people closest to the problems are closest to the solution,’ said Jones.
‘I look forward to reviewing this commission’s work to chart a course that restores the vitality of black communities in our city after decades of disinvestment. We cannot succeed as a city if one half is allowed to fail.’
