A Tuesday report by Reuters revealed that among the current and former U.S. presidents, only Donald Trump stands out as not having any descendants who were slaveholders.
Trump only living president not descended from slaveholders unlike 100 U.S. political leaders including Obama
The report, which examined the genealogy of America’s leaders up to the 117th Congress, unveiled that five living presidents, two Supreme Court justices, 11 governors, and 100 members of Congress had ancestors who once owned slaves.
According to Reuters, Presidents Biden, Carter, George W. Bush, Clinton, and Obama all have ancestral connections to individuals who enslaved Black people. Notably, Obama’s link can be traced back to his White mother’s lineage. In contrast, Trump’s family did not arrive in the United States until after the abolition of slavery.
Among the prominent names identified were Senators Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Tom Cotton of Arkansas, and James Lankford of Oklahoma. Additionally, Senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, Jeanne Shaheen, and Maggie Hassan, both representing New Hampshire, were also included in this group.
Within the Supreme Court, it was found that only Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Neil Gorsuch had ancestors who were slaveholders. On the other hand, a recent report by the Washington Post highlighted that Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s ancestors were subjected to slavery, while her husband, Patrick Jackson, had ancestors who were slaveholders.
Amid national reparations debate, California explores framework for slavery reparations program
The report arrives at a time when the United States is engaged in a wider discussion regarding reparations and the enduring impact of slavery. In states like California, which lean heavily towards Democratic ideologies, efforts are underway to explore the potential framework of a slavery reparations program. Notably, California has initiated official inquiries into the matter, Fox News reported.
In May, the Reparations Task Force of the state made a formal recommendation, suggesting that payments of up to $1.2 million be provided to eligible Black residents. However, this particular proposal has faced resistance, even within the Democratic party in California. Governor Gavin Newsom chose not to endorse the cash payments shortly after they were put forward, indicating that the proposal was deemed too radical.
“The Reparations Task Force’s independent findings and recommendations are a milestone in our bipartisan effort to advance justice and promote healing. This has been an important process, and we should continue to work as a nation to reconcile our original sin of slavery and understand how that history has shaped our country,” Newsom told Fox News Digital at the time.
