The Path to Repair: Community Engagement, Trust-Building, and Dialogue in Evanston’s Local Reparations Housing Program

Abstract

In the last decade and especially since the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent racial reckoning in the summer of 2020, there have been increased efforts to combat institutional anti-Black racism across the United States. In one case, the City of Evanston, Illinois established a local reparations initiative. While publicly lauded as the first reparations program for Black Americans, the initiative has received local criticism for its lack of meaningful community engagement and limited and exclusionary impact—raising questions about whether the program truly provides repair, and what the role of reparations ought to be in the fight against systemic racism. I conducted a case study analysis of Evanston’s reparations initiative, from its ideation in spring 2019 through early implementation in summer 2022, using historical and document analysis techniques on extensive government documents, local archives, historical maps, and local, national, and international media coverage informed by existing theoretical frameworks about reparations. I also conducted a two-month site visit to explore the local political dynamics surrounding the initiative through field research and over 50 extended interviews of local Evanstonians, including ordinary residents, community leaders, government staff, and current and retired public officials. Finally, I used census data to evaluate the magnitude of the program’s impact. I ultimately conclude that Evanston’s initiative provides tangible benefits but cannot be considered reparations; I make a case for the vital importance of community engagement in driving a reparative approach to policymaking that paves a path forward.