BackStory

279: Paying for the Past: Reparations and American History


Listen Later

Reparations for African-Americans has been a hot topic on the presidential campaign trail, with Democratic candidates including Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren coming out in favor of compensation for unpaid African-American labor.

But the debate around reparations is nothing new. In fact, it goes back centuries.

On this episode, Nathan, Ed and Brian explore the complicated - and often contentious - history of reparations, from the first mass reparations movement led by Callie House, an ex-slave, to a unique moment when African-Americans in Florida received compensation for the destruction of their community.


Image: "The Freedmen's Bureau" Man representing the Freedman's Bureau stands between armed groups of Euro-Americans and Afro-Americans. Drawn by A.R. Waud. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/92514996/


BackStory is funded in part by our listeners. You can help keep the episodes coming by supporting the show: https://www.backstoryradio.org/support
...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

BackStoryBy BackStory

  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5

4.5

2,892 ratings


More shows like BackStory

View all
Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! by NPR

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

38,523 Listeners

Radiolab by WNYC Studios

Radiolab

43,821 Listeners

This American Life by This American Life

This American Life

90,860 Listeners

Fresh Air by NPR

Fresh Air

37,883 Listeners

Selected Shorts by Symphony Space

Selected Shorts

2,818 Listeners

The Moth by The Moth

The Moth

27,080 Listeners

Stuff You Missed in History Class by iHeartPodcasts

Stuff You Missed in History Class

23,709 Listeners

Snap Judgment by Snap Judgment and PRX

Snap Judgment

11,504 Listeners

the memory palace by Nate DiMeo

the memory palace

6,864 Listeners

Hidden Brain by Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam

Hidden Brain

43,353 Listeners

More Perfect by WNYC Studios

More Perfect

14,445 Listeners

East Bay Yesterday by East Bay Yesterday

East Bay Yesterday

424 Listeners

Sidedoor by Smithsonian Institution

Sidedoor

2,189 Listeners

Throughline by NPR

Throughline

16,093 Listeners

Antiques Roadshow Detours by GBH

Antiques Roadshow Detours

678 Listeners