Apology Lite: Truths, Doubts, and Reconciliations in the Senate's Guarded Apology for Slavery
Connecticut Law Review CONNtemplations, Vol. 42, p. 1, 2009
12 Pages Posted: 16 Feb 2010
Date Written: February 11, 2010
Abstract
This Essay discusses the recent Senate apology for slavery, which contained an unusual disclaimer prohibiting its use in any claim for monetary reparations. The Essay discusses the role of apology within the slavery reparations debate generally and the question of whether a stand-alone apology can be a valid form of reparation. It examines the particular moral and symbolic effects of the Senate disclaimer and offers some suggestions for bolstering the apology and furthering the restorative justice goals of reparations through additional symbolic gestures, like official commemoration of Juneteenth.
Keywords: reparations, slavery, apology, restorative justice
JEL Classification: K10
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation