PORTLAND — The Oregon House approved a measure Wednesday that urges Congress to kick off the process to plan to pay reparations to “descendants of African slaves in the United States.”
Known as a “joint memorial,” the legislation is essentially a letter to federal lawmakers. It makes no changes to Oregon law.
It was approved on a party line vote in the House, with all Democrats present voting in favor of it and all Republicans voting against it.
“The 40 acres and a mule of Reconstruction was a promise unkept, like the treaties with Native tribes,” said Rep. Janelle Bynum, D-Happy Valley, the only Black member of the Oregon House. “We as a country finally acknowledged the loss of property and livelihood for our Japanese cousins.”
“It is time we acknowledge that there is something, that there is something, that there is something that needs to be done in this situation,” she concluded, repeating the phrase for emphasis.
But Republicans weren’t convinced of the need for Oregon lawmakers to lobby Congress on the issue.
“This memorial bothers me greatly,” said Rep. Bill Post, R-Keizer, who said his ancestors in Arkansas enslaved people. “We should be ashamed of our past. But there’s a lot of things in America’s past that we should be ashamed for. But we move on.”
The measure was approved by the Oregon Senate in April, where two Republicans joined Democrats in its passage. As a joint memorial, it does not require a signature from the governor.
Separately Wednesday, the Oregon Senate approved a bill known as the “CROWN Act.” The title is an acronym for “Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair.” The measure would ban employers and schools from discriminating based on hairstyles.
Supporters said Black people are sometimes required to change their hairstyle in order to hold a job or avoid penalties at school or in athletic competitions.
“Diversity brings out the best in all of us,” said Sen. James Manning, D-Eugene. “And all of us bring uniquely different perspectives in terms of experiences and appearances.”
House Bill 2935 passed the Senate 28-1 and now heads to the governor’s desk.
