Detroiters know. In November 2021, residents voted to create a reparations committee that would make recommendations for housing and economic development programs to address historical discrimination against Black residents. We are a team of University of Michigan-based scholars of political science and sociology specializing in public opinion and attitudes toward reparations. Our research provides important context for understanding the challenges Detroit's reparations committee faces. The 13-member task force wasn't officially announced until February 2023. The two-year time lapse resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic and the unexpected passing in July 2022 of former City Council Member JoAnn Watson ' a pivotal advocate for reparations. As the October 2024 deadline approached, however, many residents voiced concerns that the task force was not progressing quickly enough or being as inclusive as expected. When the deadline extension was announced, task force co-chair Keith Williams...
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