Proponents and opponents of reparations for Blacks vociferously
disagree. Conservative opponents argue that reparations for Black
slavery are a disastrous idea and that proponents are motivated by
either greed or the desire to do harm to the republic. Liberal and left
opponents of reparations argue that the advocacy on this issue will
lead to great racial divisions and do potentially irreparable harm to
progressive movements. Supporters of reparations argue that it is a
case of simple justice. That during the colonial, slavery, and Jim Crow
eras Blacks were systematically oppressed and exploited with the active
support of the state. They also argue that both domestic and
international precedents strengthen the case for Black reparations.
This paper shows that there is a tremendous divide between Blacks and
Whites on questions of both an apology to Blacks as well as monetary
reparations. The racial divide extends to support for the reparations
to Japanese-Americans who were victims of official incarceration during
World War II. Finally, multivariate analyses demonstrates that for both
Blacks and Whites, racialized views of politics are best predictors of
support for or opposition to reparations.