What are 40 Acres and a Mule Worth in the Twenty-First Century? A Rapid Review of Modern Reparative Initiatives to Address Socioeconomic and Health Inequality Among Black Americans.

The historical call for reparations for Black Americans has recently regained relevance. Reparations aim to address not only generational inequality established during slavery but also the perpetuation of socioeconomic and health disparities over time via Jim Crow, redlining, police brutality, and other forms of structural and systemic racism. Using Public Health Critical Race Praxis (PHCRP), this rapid review assesses the landscape of reparative initiatives across the United States at the governmental and organizational levels, analyzing the eligibility criteria, political ideologies, and goals of various stakeholders. Additionally, it examines the potential ability of reparations initiatives to reduce socioeconomic and health inequality. Key themes identified include American Descendants of Slavery (ADOS) should be eligible for reparations; the overall goals of reparative initiatives differ between governments and organizations; reparations extend far beyond direct payments; and reparations initiatives are influenced by one another but largely uncoordinated. The ways in which these themes align with PHCRP and the extensive policy implications are discussed.