Philadelphian Freedmen Must Have Reparations: A Call to Action
By Morgan Malachi, Tubman House Center for Reparative Justice
The Problem:
Philadelphia is one of the poorest big cities in the United States. In 2019, Philadelphia’s population was 1,535,277 of which 24.3% were living in poverty. The majority of Freedmen Philadelphians live in communities that experienced decades of neglect and disinvestment and now are targets of unrelenting gentrification. Our state’s minimum wage has been $7.25 since 2009. According to the Living Wage, a single person with no children in Philadelphia must make at least $18.14 an hour and $29.81 an hour is needed for one person with three children to live comfortably in our city. Philadelphia is just one portrait of the larger problem. The racial wealth gap of American Freedmen nationally is staggering. In 2016, the net worth of an average white family was $171,000, a figure almost ten times greater than an American Freedmen family at $17,150. Since 1865, American Freedmen have maneuvered a system of oppressive tactics like redlining laws which kept Freedmen out of equity and wealth. If Freedmen cannot build generational wealth they will never be able to close the racial wealth gap. Once the data is parsed, we can clearly see American Freedmen are specifically the “Black people” suffering at the highest rates. This is why lineage based reparations for Philadelphian Freedmen are long overdue.
Middle class Philadelphian Freedmen are living paycheck to paycheck, and are much poorer than their white middle class counterparts. The Freedmen middle class identity is largely a facade. Despite their many degrees and seemingly well-paying jobs, middle class Philadelphia Freedmen are saddled with massive student loan debt, which is compounded by the lack of generational wealth. They are working jobs with precarious retirement plans and have very little savings. The economic position of the masses of Freedmen Philadelphians is dire.
There is no Black Middle Class:
Lineage based reparations highlight the classist delusions in the Philadelphia Freedmen community. A college education doesn’t matter when a community has no wealth. Upper and middle class Freedmen often feel no need to focus on reparations advocacy. The middle class Freedmen community might make decent salaries, but they don’t have any real capital. Many do not own their homes. They don’t own businesses in Black neighborhoods let alone city-wide. This is true for not just Philadelphians, but for the Freedmen community as a whole. Too frequently a specific person or family will point to their personal success and reject these truths. It can't be just some of us, it needs to be all of us on an equal financial footing. Individualist ideals have not and will never save American Freedmen from systemic oppression. The Northwest section of Philadelphia is remarkably divided by wealth. Even upper middle class Freedmen don’t have the same wealth their white neighbors enjoy. Pennsylvania State Representative Chris Rabb was quoted saying:
“We rarely see people west of Stenton [Avenue] crossing into east of Stenton,” he said, referring to a line that divides wealthier and poorer parts of the area, “and that’s largely a racial dynamic.”
Historical Background:
The Freedman's Savings and Trust Company was signed into law as “An Act to Incorporate the Freedmen’s Trust Company” and signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln on March 3,1865. Branches were open in seventeen states with thirty-seven locations between 1865-1871. Seventy thousand American Freedman deposited money into the Freedmen’s Saving and Trust Company. These deposits, made in trust by the formerly enslaved, accumulated to fifty-seven million dollars. By 1870, amendments to the charter impacted the bank's loan policies. In 1873 mismanagement and fraud ran rampant and the Freedmen’s Savings and Trust Company never recovered.
Frederick Douglass was appointed as the bank's President, also investing ten thousand dollars of his own money. Douglass, not realizing the depths of the larceny to American Freedmen wealth, sent Congress a recommendation to close the bank. The Freedmen’s Savings and Trust Company closed on June 29,1874 leaving the formerly enslaved American Freedmen community in financial ruin. Our ancestors' hard earned money was gone. We ask how many times do we have to continuously start over? Gentrification is ushering in a new forced migration for Philadelphia Freedmen that we have yet to see the outcomes of.
Octavius V. Catto was a Philadelphia Freedmen lynched by a violent white mob on October 10, 1871. Catto went to a Freedmen’s Bank branch at 919 Lombard Street. He withdrew twenty dollars to purchase a gun. This was an election day in Philadelphia. Leaving the Freedmen Bank branch he had to dodge violent white mobs, this was one year after the Fifteenth Amendment restored voting rights protections to Philadelphia Freedmen. Later in the day, Catto was confronted by two white men, Edward Reddy Denver and Frank Kelly. Catto, with no warning, was shot by Frank Kelly multiple times in broad daylight in front of numerous eye witnesses.
Mayor James Kenney dedicated a statue to Octavius V. Catto which sits outside Philadelphia’s City Hall. This statue cost two million dollars. Mayor James Kenney apparently forgot to ask the Freedman community if they wanted a statue to commemorate Catto, a victim of white rage, or a commitment to real justice and repair through lineage based reparations for Catto’s community. Kenney needs to stop the symbolism and do his job. We will no longer stand for the displacement and neglect of Philadelphia Freedmen.
Freedmen Philadelphians have a specific claim in the modern day reparations discussion. Philadelphia’s Freedmen population is impacted by wealth disparities at a devastating rate. The history of redlining in Philadelphia can be traced to the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation rating Philadelphia neighborhoods with high Freedmen populations in the 1930’s as “hazardous/high risk” signifying a possible risk of defaulting on mortgage loans. Banks denying loans for Freedmen purchasing homes in Freedmen neighborhoods ensured segregation by another name. Even with the passing of the Fair Housing Act of 1968, the redlining tactics were so pervasive the act did little to change the disparities within Freedmen Philadelphian communities. Housing segregation also impacts income wealth, education funding, healthcare and poverty rates
No More Pandering White Progressives or Complacent Black Democrats:
The Philadelphian Freedmen population in gentrifying areas of West and South Philadelphia decreased by 29% from 2000-2012 according to US census records. In North Philadelphia, the Freedmen population declined by 22%. West Philadelphians' median home sale price increased 98%. South Philadelphia’s median sale price increased 184%, more than three times the citywide rate; North Philadelphias’ median home sale price increased 200%, nearly four times the citywide average. This is not an anomaly Philadelphian Freedmen can ignore. It is time for Freedmen to become fully aware of the disparities that persist in their lives and the history of being locked out of equity at the foundation.
White gentrifiers take full advantage of our equity inequality. Gentrifiers such as Alexandra Hunt are pandering to American Freedmen with stolen talking points and no tangible history of advocacy on behalf of Freedmen beyond a series of tweets where she called for “Reparations for the American Freedmen.” Hunt also talks about every other so-called oppressed group in America. Lineage based reparations is not a talking point. It is an ancestral justice claim. Tubman House is here to ensure every aspect of lineage based reparations discussions are guarded, and approached with nothing but respect and tangible political advocacy. Hunt clearly does not respect reparations or know the history behind it as she continues to GENTRIFY a Freedmen neighborhood. No one who willingly participates in our oppression will ever help to liberate Freedmen. We must demonstrate disciplined steadfastness in every aspect of our justice claim as Philadelphia Freedmen. We can not afford to be corrupted and misled any longer.
Incumbent Dwight Evans, Congressman of Philadelphia’s 3rd district, is no stranger to Philadelphia Freedmen. Evans has been a staple of the Philadelphia black political class. He represents the 3rd district of Philadelphia, a population of 752,057, breaking down to 46.6% Male and 53.4% Female. The median income is $47,425; the high school graduation rate is 88.8%; the college graduation rate is 39.6%. The 3rd district of Philadelphia has 418,050 Freedmen, a combined total of 140,959 are Asian, Latino, Native American, Pacific Islanders. 246,857 are White; 16,462 have Caribbean Ancestry; and 17,880 have Sub-Saharan African Ancestry.
Evans has been in politics for over twenty years, with 18 terms in the Pennsylvania House, and a gubernatorial run in 1994. Evans then ran for mayor in 1999 and again in 2007. Evans moved on to the United States Congress with a special election victory after Native Freedmen son Chaka Fattah resigned upon being convicted in federal court. Evans found himself in a perfect position to build equity and wealth for the Freedmen community which is the majority population in his district. Following his victory Evans is quoted as saying:
"I'm excited about it" [...] "I thank people for the opportunity. I served in the House for 36 years and I'm going to take that skill set of what I've learned to work toward the future. I'll work with Democrats, Republicans, whoever necessary to make a difference."
It's time to ask Mr. Dwight Evans if he is done working for everyone except the Philadelphia Freedmen community of his district? Evans must do more than schmooze the black political class in the Northwest section of his district. His district is struggling financially and his lack of attention is unacceptable. Immigration policies are not an issue of concern for the Freedmen community in Philadelphia. Evans ran under a platform called “A Plan for America’s Cities” Freedmen Philadelphians need a specific “Plan For American Freedmen” which would perfect Evans’ previous plan. After winning his congressional seat Dwight Evans was quoted saying:
“I want to talk about cities, neighborhoods and block-by-block building,” [..] “People ask questions about how you’re going to do things, but I think you only have to look at my record.”
The Freedmen community has given Dwight Evans more than enough time. We have also conducted a thorough look at his record. Dwight Evans has failed tremendously in repairing the harms suffered by our community. His underperformance in delivering policies to improve conditions for the masses of Philadelphian Freedman is unacceptable. Mr. Evans and the Democratic Party rely on the historical injustices inflicted on our people to rally the voter base. Freedmen have come out to the polls for twenty years to support Dwight Evans. Mr. Evans has not demonstrated the same support for Philadelphia Freedmen. The liberal agenda of fraudulent advocacy with no equity for Freedmen must be called out. We also recognize the vague promises and sense of entitlement rife within the Congressional Black Caucus. Maxine Waters' exchange with a majority Freedmen homeless population in LA displayed the dismissive behavior the black political class has developed.
CBC members are being deliberately obtuse regarding the state of the American Freedmen population. They have sold their community out and will continue to do so until we empower ourselves. Their role has been to keep Freedmen disempowered. We can no longer allow this abusive relationship. A political awakening of our people will remind all politicians that they are accountable to Freedmen until we are fully repaired. Dwight Evans is not a God. He is an unproductive ineffective politician. Evans advocates for Philadelphia being a sanctuary city. He wastes time on immigration issues when the 3rd District is not a majority immigrant population. Evans is quoted saying:
“As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, ‘We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now.’ We have an obligation to build a stronger tomorrow for all members of our communities.”
The 3rd district of Philadelphia alone has 418,050 Freedmen while there's a total of 120,000 Black immigrants in the city as a whole according to the US Census. The fact is Dwight Evan is totally off course with his immigration focus and this is the reason why our community is suffering. He represents the 3rd district with an overwhelming majority Philadelphia Freedmen population. This can no longer be tolerated by his Freedmen constituents. Mr. Evan should be reminded of these words by Dr. Martin Luther King,
“One hundred years later the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself in exile in his own land. And so we’ve come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.”
“In a sense we’ve come to our nation’s capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence (Yeah), they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir...It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned.”
Dwight Evans is cherry picking Dr. King's words which is the play book of the democratic establishment. Dr. King was assassinated and politicians have twisted his legacy to fit their abysmal advocacy for King’s people. This reflects an inherent disrespect of the Freedmen community. Dwight Evans can no longer continue to retain his political seat by browbeating Freedmen with nonreciprocal identity politics.
Call to Action:
The lineage based reparations demand is for a comprehensive package to address the fundamental needs of the Freedmen community. Dwight Evans needs to remember his history and the history of Freedmen in Philadelphia.
We demand Evans produce a full lineage based reparations package.
We demand Evans ensure that any new variation of the Freedmen’s Bureau be designated specifically for the American Freedmen only.
We demand Evans protect Freedmen Philadelphians against oppression on all fronts. That includes equity and wealth oppression. He has yet to address these issues with any sense of urgency or resolve.
We demand Evans produce legislation designating American Freedmen as a protected class and designated ethnicity.
We demand Evans produce an Anti-Freedmen Hate Bill with protections/funding as given to the Anti-Asian Hate Bill for Asian Americans.
Freedmen must hold Dwight Evans accountable for his inaction. All neighborhoods in the 3rd district must organize to ensure this happens.
If Mr. Evans refuses to work towards all demands listed and all future demands, we will replace him with a candidate willing to do their job for the majority of the 3rd District.
Any Philadelphia politician that is not focused on lineage based reparations as their main priority has to be replaced as well; this is our call to action.
The message to the Philadelphia Freedmen community is that leftist white gentrifiers like Alexandra Hunt will never truly confront white supremacy. On the contrary, women such as Hunt, are always elevated within it. Hunt's use of the term “American Freedmen” does not move us. We demand written legislation addressing the racial wealth gap specifically for Freedmen which is lineage based reparations. Hunt’s Philadelphia Freedmen neighbors are locked out of equity and directly impacted by her very presence. Gentrifiers are tired of the black political class stifling plans for the well monied “New York-ifying” of the city and its politics. Freedmen politicians are perfectly comfortable leaving their communities alone to figure out how to recover from generations of stolen wealth. Lineage based reparations will ensure our future in the city that our ancestors built.
We must prioritize political and community engagement.
We must build our people power in this city as American Freedmen by word of mouth and staying committed to the extended struggle for reparations.
We must let our families know that lineage based reparations is a debt that is owed. Survival is not enough anymore.
We deserve to benefit from all of the Freedmen labor that contributed to the building of this country.
We have to educate ourselves about the harmful conditions we are experiencing in Philadelphia.
We call on the Philadelphia Freedmen to take up the struggle for reparative justice. In this political moment, Freedmen must be uncompromising and unrelenting. We are all born and raised here. Our family members are buried here. We will not let the Philadelphia political machine get away with our erasure. It is the “Return of the Loud'' for lineage based reparations. We’re demanding our stolen wealth as Philadelphia Freedmen. We will organize for it and we will sacrifice for it. Philly Freedmen let’s get to work!