Reparations

Paul Weismantel introduced the subject and the two highly qualified speakers:

·       Luana Graves Sellers, representing the Lowcountry Gullah Foundation, awarded “best documentary” in the San Diego Black Film Festival 2025. See https://luanamgravessellars.com/

·       Ahmad Ward, executive director of the Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park, a re-creation of Hilton Head’s early community of former slaves. See https://exploremitchelville.org/

Luana, who grew up in the Gullah traditions of Charleston and Georgetown, called the issue of reparations a “hot and important” topic in much of the country but especially in the region between Wilmington, NC, and St. Augustine, FL, where there is so much heirs property. Many black families in those areas live in “family compounds,” property passed down through generations not through legal means of title transfer but practically; they live on land inherited by family members jointly, sometimes over generations. The result is that they have land to live on but cannot get mortgages or permits because of the complicated joint ownership.

Where the West African traditions of “tenants in common” prevail, families have a hard time building assets. That fact affected about 40,000 people on 400,000 acres after the Civil War. Luana made the case that reparations represent repair for the disadvantages of inheritance that cannot be used as an asset. Often, land developers have paid Gullah families less than their jointly held property was worth simply because the Gullahs lacked real choices.

Luana’s nonprofit foundation helps heirs property owners through education, helps in some cases with money for taxes or home repairs or attorneys to clear title. Eleven states have heirs property, she said. Luana referenced a report from the South Carolina legislature on Heirs’ Property that resulted in a proposed law that stalled in the House last year (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OUMiQzn6gB9CtyEM4poGuRjmA7x-6ozP/view?usp=drivesdk)

Ahmad acknowledged that the question of reparations is a “dicey” subject, particularly when it is considered only as money handed over to those trapped in difficult circumstances because of their family traditions. Those who cannot get permits or mortgages end up in trailers, which provide inexpensive housing that usually is not well insulated and is not long-lasting.

He explained that land owned jointly by dozens of individuals who disagree with one another about its use can be a long-lasting problem. “Only one person can upset the apple cart,” he said. “Laws need to be changed so that a majority of the joint owners can make a decision.”

Basically, he added, although slaves built many of the physical institutions of government and higher education  in this country, the general public today is not willing to hand over cash to their descendants as reparations for past injustice.

Audience members spoke of concerns for the troubling circumstances of heirs property owners; they also asserted that “the child cannot be held responsible for the sins of his fathers.” Some acknowledged that neither the national nor the state governments are likely to address the problems and recommended that local communities tackle them one at a time. Ideally, heirs property owners might become individual property owners through litigation.

On Hilton Head Island, for example, about 900 acres is still heirs property. Several in the audience asserted that those heirs and those acres warrant the attention of the community as a local problem that could be solved best locally.

Paul Weismantel concluded by saying that work on the problem, which means being able to connect various communities, would be of real value. The community as a whole becomes richer when individuals acquire assets to benefit their families, he said.