Criticisms and Responses

Over the past fifteen years, when we have been invited to make presentations at public libraries and historic sites, on college campuses, and before civic organizations across the United States, Canada, and India, we have received a wide variety of comments and criticisms about our proposals. During this time, audiences’ receptiveness to the idea of reparations for African Americans and the content of their queries have shifted dramatically. Comments such as “Reparations will never happen!” and “How can you propose such a preposterous thing?” have now become “How would you do it?” and “Who are the people that are working