Most Americans oppose reparations for slavery

DETROIT (AP) — Few Americans are in favour of giving reparations to descendants of enslaved black people in the United States, a new poll shows, even as the idea has gained momentum among Democratic presidential contenders.

Only 29% of Americans say the government should pay cash reparations, according to the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll.

But the poll reveals a large divide between Americans of different racial and ethnic backgrounds.

Most black Americans, 74%, favour reparations, compared with 15% of white Americans. Among Hispanics, 44% favour reparations.

Lori Statzer, 79, of West Palm Beach, Florida, opposes cash reparations and an official government apology.

“None of the black people in America today are under the slavery issue,” said Statzer, who is white. “It’s over with.”

Using taxpayers’ money to pay reparations “would be unfair to me,” she added.

“My ancestors came to this country, worked hard to become Americans and never asked for anything.”

Poll respondents also were sharply divided by race on whether the US government should issue an apology for slavery: 64% of white Americans oppose a government apology, while 77% of black Americans and 64% of Hispanics believe an apology is due. Overall, 46% of Americans favour and 52% oppose a national apology.

Not everyone realises how horrible slavery was to black Americans, said 63-year-old Nathan Jordan, adding that the federal government should apologise for slavery “because it was wrong.”

The debate on reparations has flared on and off since the moment slavery in the US officially ended in 1865.

The new poll finds that about 3 in 10 Americans think the history of slavery still has a great deal of influence on black Americans.

About another 3 in 10 think it has a fair amount of influence.

And many see enduring disadvantages for black Americans in public life.

About two-thirds of Americans think white people are treated more fairly than black people by police, and about half see advantages for white people in applying for jobs or shopping in stores.

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