Black Leaders Want Biden to Take Charge on Reparations Before It’s Too Late

As the president faces worrying poll numbers with Black Americans, lawmakers and advocates want him to take action on racial inequality.

Reparations Rally in SF

Advocates want the president and vice president to acknowledge the cities and states that have taken up their own versions of reparations. Eric Risberg/AP

Prominent leaders in the Black community want President Joe Biden to make a major push for reparations — and to do it soon, before the crucial November elections.

They think it’s time for Biden to speak out more publicly about the need to pass reparations bills, even if it’s tough to do with a Republican-controlled House.

“Even if they can’t make something happen legislatively, one of our main real demands is to push the president to use the bully pulpit to create at least a media cycle around reparative justice,” said Marcus Hunter, executive director of United by Equity, one of the groups pushing for reparations measures.