SPRINGFIELD – The State of Illinois African Descent-Citizens Reparations Commission (ADCRC) announces the fifth stop on its nine-part series of statewide public hearings. ADCRC is hosting public hearings to discuss reparatory actions for Black Americans in Illinois who are descendants of American Chattel Slavery. The next public hearing will be held in Belleville, on Saturday, April 26, at Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC). For those unable to attend in person, the hearing will be livestreamed on the ADCRC YouTube page: www.YouTube.com/@IllinoisADCRC.
Through these public hearings, the commission aims to gather vital recommendations on reparations from the general public for policymakers and key stakeholders. Featured speakers—including Dr. Tandra Taylor, Peggy Lewis-LeCompte, Alvin Parks, and Tiffany Lee—will present on the intergenerational impacts of Housing Segregation, Separate and Unequal Education, Racism in Environment & Infrastructure, and an Unjust Legal System. Subsequent hearings will continue to take place throughout Illinois in the coming months.
The ADCRC is committed to gathering diverse perspectives to shape recommendations for tangible actions toward justice and restitution. These public hearings are crucial for understanding the varied experiences and impacts of historical and systemic injustices faced by Black Americans in Illinois. “The Commission is taking a holistic approach to gain knowledge to inform our task of making recommendations that address disparities present in our community as a result of slavery and its vestiges,” said Marvin Slaughter, Jr., ADCRC Chair.
ADCRC’s Mission: The African Descent-Citizens Reparations Commission, authorized by 20 ILCS 405/405-540, aims to:
• Preserve African American neighborhoods and communities.
• Build and develop vocational centers for People of African Descent-Citizens.
• Ensure proportional economic representation in all State contracts.
• Advocate for the creation and enforcement of an Illinois Slavery Era Disclosure Bill.
Event Details:
Saturday, April 26, 2025
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. CST
Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC) Theater, Main Campus Building, Room MC2320
2500 Carlyle Ave., Belleville, IL 62221
Free parking in adjacent lot
