Calls for the Department of Justice (DOJ) to intervene erupted Monday after Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D) unveiled a race-based grant initiative tied to Juneteenth celebrations.
The move, which includes a multimillion-dollar reparations task force and sharp criticism of President Donald Trump, has sparked fierce backlash from critics demanding immediate federal action.
The announcement came as the city kicked off Juneteenth celebrations, where Johnson raised the holiday flag in Daley Plaza and issued Executive Order 2024-1, forming a Reparations Task Force.
The group is tasked with drafting a “definition and framework for reparations” and examining historical and modern-day policies that allegedly harmed Black residents of the city.
“These policies are not accidental,” Johnson told a crowd gathered for the ceremony.
“Reparations is not just an acknowledgment of our past. Reparations is an acknowledgment of the past sins and how it’s more important now than ever that we continue to fight for complete liberation.”
The mayor’s remarks included a sharp political turn as he invoked the president.
“The Confederacy is certainly alive. And we can feel and see the pulse of the Confederacy manifest in the Donald Trump administration,” Johnson said.
The centerpiece of Johnson’s announcement was the launch of the “Wealth Our Way” (W.O.W.) grant program, a $4.11 million capital initiative designed to fund projects in black communities.
Grants of up to $500,000 are expected to be distributed through the end of 2026, BizPac Review reports.
“As we celebrate Juneteenth, we are recommitting ourselves to the critical work of repairing past harms through investment and opportunity,” Johnson stated. “The work of repair and restoration is central to our mission.”
“This is a collective work that impacts our entire communities, so we are putting these funds to help build up collective ownership models in neighborhoods that have been shut out for far too long.”
The city is already under investigation by the DOJ for allegations of race-based hiring practices, and the new initiative has fueled further criticism.
Conservative commentator and journalist Nick Sortor called the program “straight up RACISM,” sharing video of Johnson’s remarks and demanding, “Trump’s DOJ should shut this down NOW!”
Others echoed the concern over legality.
Filmmaker Robby Starbuck tagged Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon, writing, “Yes @ChicagosMayor it is in fact a crime to give grants out on the basis of race because it means you’re discriminating on the basis of race.” Dhillon replied, “Someone must have told him this kind of vague nonsense boosts his popularity…”
Johnson, however, defended the program as a continuation of his administration’s efforts to acknowledge and address the long-term impact of slavery.
“Other cultures are taught to never forget,” he said. “We need to be reminded as Blacks here in Chicago and America. Remembering our past and working towards a more just future, investing in Black is not a criminal act.”
The new Reparations Task Force is expected to study a wide range of public policies from the slavery era through present day, with findings to inform future initiatives.
Johnson said his administration is delivering on a campaign promise, telling attendees, “I made a promise to drive reparations.”
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Author: Gloriel Howard
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