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Governor Newsom Signs Bill AB 3089, Issuing Formal Apology for California's Role in Slavery and Discrimination

Sep 27, 2024, 01:22 AM

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill on Thursday that includes a formal apology from the state of California for its role in facilitating and enforcing slavery and the subsequent discrimination against Black Americans after slavery was abolished. The apology is issued "for the perpetration of gross human rights violations and crimes against humanity, with special consideration for African slaves and their descendants." The legislation, Assembly Bill 3089, authored by Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-South Los Angeles), is part of a package of priority bills from the California Black Caucus aimed at addressing decades of systemic racism and offering repair for the injustices of the past.