On Thursday June 18th the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice (NJISJ) hosted a press conference on the recently introduced "Truth, Reconciliation and Repair Act." Introduced as NJ S4459 in the Senate (A5253 in the Assembly), NJISJ reports that the bill commits New Jersey to "apologizing for slavery... accepting responsibility, and... committing to teaching the truth about slavery and Black History in our public schools and beyond." At the press conference (video here) sponsors Senator Angela McKnight and Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson explain the purpose and content of the bill. Other New Jersey leaders at the press conference calling for passage of the bill included Larry Ham (People's Organization fr Progress), Mayor Ras Baraka (Newark), Jean-Pierre Brutus (NJISJ), Henal Patel (NJISJ), Rev. Charles Boyer (Salvation and Social Justice, Greater Mt. Zion AME Church Trenton), and Cn. Annette Buchanan (NJ Faith Allies, Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey). If you would like to support the bill's passage NJISJ is gathering signatures.
