The City Council of the fourth largest populated African-American city said “no” to reparations study bill H.R. 40 on July 31. City Hall was packed with African-Americans to hear the vote and the tension in the building was high and Houston police officers were standing by in and outside the building. Organizations from all over Texas, Louisiana, and representatives from Houston had a great presence. Mayor Lee P. Brown had tabled the vote in the past. When the votes where counted, everyone was in an uproar.

After a heated debate over the resolution, the City Council rejected it in a close vote 8 to 7. If the resolution was passed, it would have established a commission to study the effects of slavery on African-Americans and America. Black City Hall employees were insulted by the decision. Said one, “City Hall spends millions of dollars on different studies everyday and when asked to spend money on this study they say ‘no.’ The African–American community is just asking for a study, not money. Are the council members afraid of what they will find out in this study?”
The council members that voted in favor of the study, along with the mayor were: Ada Edwards, Carroll Robinson, Carol Mims-Galloway, Annise Parker, Carol Alvarado and Gordon Quan. Councilmember Quan stated “I’m against reparation but I’ll sit down and talk about it with you.” Councilmember Ada Edwards stated “there is something very wrong when my colleagues are unwilling to even consider studying this issue.” AAN&I publisher, Roy Douglas Malonson said he watched as Councilmember Vasquez and Mayor Brown took a “sidebar.” “Brown asked Vasquez to his face are you with me?,” Malonson said. “Surprisingly, Vasquez told the Mayor ‘no!’”

Michael Berry was viewed as a critical swing vote since he had campaigned extensively in the African-American community. Min. Quanell X warned Berry “don’t come into our community anymore. You are not welcome. You voted against a simple resolution to support a study. Michael Berry, you tricked our community into thinking that you cared about our issues and now your true wicked White ways have come out.” Kofi Taharka, of the National Black United Front stated, “I’m not surprised. This is Houston at its best. Speaking of Berry, everyone should ask themselves: “Who brought this man into the neighborhoods and churches of the Black people? Who showed Councilmember Berry where the Blacks lived in the neighborhoods? Once you figured out the answers to these questions, you’ll find your mole because Council member Michael Berry didn’t do this on his own. Someone had to help.”

The reparations issue was raised with officials over a month ago by the Local Action Committee for Reparations (LAC) a coalition of diverse organizations in the African-American community led by the National Black United Front-Houston Chapter (NBUF). The group has been mobilizing for months to attend a national rally in Washington, D.C. on August 17, 2002 - Marcus Mosiah Garvey’s 115th birthday. Taharka continued, “We are on our way to Washington, and we wanted to pick up a resolution showing where the city of Houston stands on the issue of reparations. This result shows that White Supremacy still reigns in this town.”

Councilmember Ada Edwards had challenged the council to “be bold enough to take the vote. You are either pregnant or you’re not - there is no in between. We should have a memory longer than two weeks and hold people accountable at election time.” She was referring to the possible delay set forth by some council-members which was ultimately removed. Edwards went on to tell the AAN&I that “the vote speaks to the arrogance of some people and tells other people that we can’t even have the discussion. It is reminiscent of a master-slave relationship.”

The vote was preceded by a Reparations Yes! Rally at City Hall which drew hundreds including distinguished reparations activist and scholar Dr. Imari Obadele (retired from Prairie View A&M University), a strong contingent from Dallas including Thomas Muhammad, Michael Bell, and Robert Williams representing various organizations. The rally on the steps of city hall was accented by prayer, African drums and chants of Black Power!, Reparations Now! Over 20 LAC representatives from different organizations spoke before council in favor of the resolution including: Veronica Kelly-Young, Funmilayo Williams, Elder Mother Delaney, Pastors Ameal Jones, Chris Wright, and Earnest Charles; Min, Robert Muhammad, Deloyd Parker, Eric Blaylock, and others. The council chambers were jammed packed with every aspect of the Black community represented from the youth to the elders united in the demand for reparations.

Activists say that Houston is not worthy of the Olympics or any other international event if it does not take a strong positive position on this international issue. The issue of reparations is being debated, discussed and argued around the world leading up to the rally in Washington. Call 713/ 523- 9172 for more information.