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Study examines how reparations for African Americans would address health inequities

Activists rally to demand President Biden sign an executive order to study the impact of reparations
Bob Korn
/
Shutterstock
Activists in front of the White House rally with large signs calling for the United States to pay reparations to the descendants of slaves.

The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published a paper last month that looked at the association between health equity and wealth between Black and white Americans. In particular, the study examined how the use of reparation payments to African Americans could address those inequities.

Reparations have long been discussed in the U.S. as a way to address the centuries of slavery and decades of Jim Crow segregation that had a detrimental effect on the economic mobility of Black citizens.

The researchers studied over 33,000 individuals over the course of 26 years.

Results from that study found that African Americans had a life expectancy of four years less than their white counterparts, and that those health outcomes closely correlated to household income of Black families.

Today on the program, we'll discuss how household wealth and the projected impact of reparations could help to improve health outcomes for African Americans.

Later in the hour, we'll talk with Pastor Stephen Blonder from Old Stone Church in Downtown Cleveland about the history and importance of that institution as we head into the holiday season.

Finally today, Ideastream Public Media's Kabir Bhatia talks to a care collector near Akron who has a new book out, highlighting eastern car manufacturers from Japan and beyond.

GUESTS:

- William Darity, PhD, Samuel DuBois Cook Distinguished Professor of Public Policy, Duke University

- Rev. Stephen C. Blonder Adams, Pastor, Old Stone Church

- Myron Vernis, Car Collector and Author

- Kabir Bhatia, Senior Arts Reporter, Ideastream Public Media

Drew Maziasz is a coordinating producer for the "Sound of Ideas" and also serves as the show’s technical producer.