New York City Considers Removing Historical Statues and Reparations Task Force
New York City is facing a challenging budget situation due to increased migration, and the city council is looking into several measures, including the removal of statues of historical figures such as George Washington and the creation of a reparations task force.
These proposals are part of the city council’s agenda for Tuesday, September 19, 2023. The council’s Cultural Affairs Committee will hold a public hearing to discuss removing artworks on city property that depict individuals who owned slaves, benefited economically from slavery, or were involved in crimes against indigenous peoples or humanity. This would affect figures like George Washington, Peter Stuyvesant, and Christopher Columbus, who have statues throughout the city.
If the Public Design Commission decides not to remove a statue, they would have to include an “explanatory plaque” next to it. The proposal also calls for consulting with the Department of Education to install plaques near schools named after such individuals.
Another proposal on the agenda is the creation of a task force to examine the impact of slavery and past injustices on African Americans in New York City and consider reparations. Other measures include anti-racism training for human services contractors and city employees and placing an information sign at the site of New York’s first slave market.
These proposals come at a time when the city is dealing with significant budget cuts due to the strain on resources caused by the influx of migrants. Mayor Eric Adams has described this situation as a “financial tsunami,” with expected budget cuts in every city department to address the estimated $12 billion cost of the migrant crisis.
Mayor Adams is currently reviewing these proposals, and the city council has not yet commented on them.
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