Surely Jesus would not have made such a powerful commitment unless he meant it. Perhaps for African Americans, this commitment is especially important. Yet, since 1619, the promise often appears late in coming. Being the most oppressed among those living in America, blacks have been (and continue) to be damned by their white neighbors.
We are all familiar with the Biblical account of the young rich man who approached Jesus and asked what he must do to achieve salvation. Equally, we know Jesus’ response was that he must give his riches to the poor and follow Him. Similarly, we recall the pleading of the man in hell who wished to return to let his family know his agony and change their ways and do good to avoid his plight. He, too, was made to realize it was too late to help those who were wayward. It is in this context that we present the theme of this essay – Reparations for African American citizens.
