California Governor Gavin Newsom has officially apologized for the state’s role in slavery and its ongoing effects on Black Americans. This apology comes as part of a new law signed on Thursday, which is part of a larger package of reparations bills aimed at addressing historical injustices and racial inequalities faced by African Americans.
In his statement, Newsom acknowledged the state's responsibility in promoting and enabling slavery, saying, “California is now taking another important step forward in recognizing the grave injustices of the past – and making amends for the harms caused.”
While California's first constitution in 1849 stated that slavery would never be tolerated, it lacked laws that clearly criminalized the practice or safeguarded the freedoms of Black individuals. In fact, a fugitive slave law passed in 1852 allowed escaped enslaved people to be captured and returned to their enslavers.
Although cash payments to descendants of enslaved people are not widely supported, a UCLA study revealed that most Californians back some form of compensation to address the state’s history of anti-Black racism. Recently, Newsom vetoed a proposal that would have helped Black families reclaim or receive compensation for property wrongfully taken through eminent domain, citing the lack of a reparations agency to handle claims.
California is ahead of other states in pursuing reparations. It established the first state reparations taskforce and has seen several local initiatives. For example, Bruce's Beach, a property seized from a Black family in the 1920s, was returned to them in 2021. Meanwhile, Black residents in Palm Springs have organized for reparations following the destruction of their neighborhood in the 1960s for commercial development.
While some advocates expressed disappointment that this year’s legislation did not include direct payments to Black Americans, Newsom approved a budget of $297.9 billion in June, which allocates up to $12 million for reparations legislation.
Additionally, the governor has signed laws aimed at enhancing educational opportunities for students of color and will have a proposal on the November ballot to ban forced labor as a punishment for crimes.
State Assembly member Isaac Bryan also introduced legislation to improve transparency regarding book bans in state prisons, calling it an important first step to reforming the current process, which he described as “shadowy.” This new law will allow the inspector general’s office to review banned publications and requires the corrections department to notify them of any changes to the banned list, which will be made public on their website. Bryan emphasized the need for transparency and a process for reviewing banned books.
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