William Darity Jr. and Kirsten Mullen – Reparations & The Nation’s Capital

On Thursday, October 12, the Department of Economics, in sponsorship with the Center for Demography and Ecology and the Institute for Research on Poverty, hosted William Darity Jr. and Kirsten Mullen in their lecture, “Reparations & the Nation’s Capital.”

Darity and Mullen addressed a crowd of UW–Madison students, faculty, alumni, and members of the community, and presented their ideal approach to reparations in the U.S. In particular, they discussed eligibility, the amount that would constitute fair and complete repayment, and the form that these payments would take. They emphasized the role of the federal government in ensuring that reparations are extended in a centralized, organized, and thorough way. They also debunked common myths surrounding reparations, and demonstrated using statistics how the effects of slavery and racial injustice have shaped the current landscape of the black experience.

Thank you for your continued interest and support of the Department of Economics. We look forward to welcoming you at future events.