California became the first state in the nation to enact reparations laws on Sept. 26, when Gavin Newsom signed a series of bills addressing the state’s history of racial discrimination and the effects of slavery in California. Along with bills targeting relevant issues like education and criminal justice, Newsom signed a formal apology.

In the California Apology document, the state acknowledged, “The State of California recognizes and accepts responsibility for all of the harms and atrocities committed by the state, its representatives thereof and entities under its jurisdictions who promoted, facilitated, enforced and permitted the institution of chattel slavery and the enduring legacy of ongoing badges and incidents from which the systemic structures of discrimination have come to exist.”
These measures are part of California’s larger initiative to tackle systemic racism and promote equity, following recommendations of the California Reparations Task Force established in 2020. While these bills don’t erase past injustices or remedy all current systemic issues, senior Devyn Johnson, president of the Black Student Union (BSU), emphasizes that they represent an essential step toward healing and making amends.
“We’re acknowledging the harm done to Black people and Black communities in America. California, by giving reparations to people, acknowledges the hundreds of years of wrong-doing that slavery contributed to America and how [slavery] contributed to the position of Black people today in America,” Johnson said.
Advanced Placement African American Studies teacher Nikolai Butkevich feels that reparations often impact generations beyond those directly affected and a holistic approach is necessary to maximize impact.

“The historical lessons are [revealed in] the pattern: it takes a while for society to even recognize that it did something wrong, but [by then], the people that actually directly suffered from it are long gone,” Butkevich said. “One approach is to direct [reparations] to the broader community rather than specific individuals. This approach has certain advantages, especially because sending individuals a check is extremely unpopular, even in California. If we’re being realistic, we can look at equalizing education and funding.”
Increased access to comprehensive education about California’s history is one of the most impactful bills for students.
“If you just make people aware of the actual history, they can then have an informed debate, rather than just a knee-jerk reaction to the idea of reparations,” Butkevich said.
In school, discussions surrounding slavery and reparations are often situated in the past, leading many to overlook its ongoing effects. Johnson urges students to research and reevaluate how they treat their classmates and other people of color.
“[Something] we’ve talked about in [the BSU] is how we give back to Black people at Redwood, teach [students] and raise the standard for how much people know and how we can grow together through education and community,” Johnson said.
Despite claims of dedication to reparations, significant proposals like the California American Freedmen Affairs Agency and a reparations fund were withdrawn. As other states like New York and Illinois follow California’s lead in addressing the generational impacts of slavery, California’s next steps will be monumental in fostering justice for Black Americans.