The House’s apology for slavery and Jim Crow is long overdue

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The House’s apology for slavery and Jim Crow is long overdue

By Lauren | July 31, 2008

The House of Representatives made history this week by apologizing to African-Americans for slavery and the Jim Crow laws that mandated racial segregation throughout much of the United States. The apology came in the form of a formal resolution that seemed (to this reader anyway) to be straightforward and well-written. The House clearly enumerated the wrongs suffered by African-Americans and their descendants, delivered a direct apology on behalf of the people of the United States, and committed the House “to rectify the lingering consequences of the misdeeds committed against African-Americans under slavery and Jim Crow and to stop the occurrence of human rights violations in the future.” Not bad at all.

So, why has the House’s apology gotten such a mixed reception?

Some people see the apology as nothing more than an election-year political gambit. The press has made much of the fact that the Congressman who introduced the bill, Rep. Steve Cohen, is a white Tennessee Democrat running in a hotly-contested primary against an African-American opponent in a black-majority district. Did Congressman Cohen introduce the bill to make a sincere apology, or just to woo his district’s African-American voters? Then, there’s the issue of reparations. Although the House has committed itself to addressing the consequences of slavery and Jim Crow, the resolution was none too clear about how that will happen. To be effective, an apology usually needs to include a specific promise of what will be done to make amends.

In my opinion, though, the problem with the House’s apology is that it came so terribly late. The Civil War was fought over one hundred and forty years ago, and the last Jim Crow law was repealed in the 1960s. When an apology comes decades after an injury was suffered, it’s far less likely to seem sincere to the people who receive it. I’m not surprised that many black commentators’ reaction has been along the lines of “took you long enough.” (And, sad to say, the House’s apology came so late that many white Americans think it’s no longer necessary. Guess again, folks – racism is still a major problem in this country, and this apology has been due and owing for a very long time.)

If the Congress had issued this apology back in the 20th Century, it would have gone over far better. That said, when it comes to apologies, better late than never. I’m glad the House apologized, sorry that it took so long, and hopeful that the House will follow through on its promise to rectify the lingering consequences of slavery and Jim Crow.

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