New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani declined to rule out cash reparations for descendants of enslaved people, saying he would consider whatever recommendations are made by a city commission currently studying the issue.
During an interview on The Root podcast with columnist Charles M. Blow, Mamdani was asked whether he would support cash payments if the commission recommends them.
Blow referenced a written statement Mamdani submitted while running for mayor, in which he said New York City played a significant role in slavery and should address that history.
“New York City participated actively in the slave trade and furthered its legacy through racist institutions, policies and laws,” Mamdani wrote. “The city should reconcile and repair this legacy of slavery, stolen wealth and discrimination.”
When asked directly whether he would support cash reparations, Mamdani did not provide a yes-or-no answer.
Instead, he said he stood by his previous statement and emphasized the importance of acknowledging the city’s historical role.
“It’s the truth; it’s not a personal assessment,” Mamdani said.
He added that many people mistakenly associate slavery only with parts of the South.
“We often think about slavery and the complicity in slavery as being exclusively to certain geographic areas of the country,” Mamdani said. “Here in New York City, we were very complicit.”
Mamdani said he intends to wait for the commission’s findings before deciding whether to support any specific recommendations.
“I look forward to whatever those findings are,” he said. “I can’t give you an answer in advance of them, but I can tell you that this is critically important, because this is also what it looks like to acknowledge what history truly was.”
The city commission examining reparations is expected to issue findings next summer.
The issue has drawn attention as other jurisdictions have explored reparations programs.
Evanston, Illinois, became the first U.S. city to implement a reparations initiative, providing eligible Black residents with grants of up to $25,000 for housing-related expenses using revenue generated from a local marijuana tax.
That program is now facing a federal lawsuit filed by six non-Black residents who argue it is unconstitutional.
The Trump administration’s Justice Department has intervened in the case, arguing the program unlawfully distributes public funds based on race.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon said there are lawful ways for governments to address past discrimination but argued that distributing money based solely on race violates federal law, per The Western Journal.
“There are sound ways for a city to remedy past discrimination or direct resources to its most vulnerable citizens and neighborhoods,” Dhillon said. “Simply handing out money based on race, however, is not the answer.”
U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros also argued that the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment requires governments to treat individuals equally rather than classify them by race.
