--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I do think that some form of reparations…" description: "\"I do think that some form of reparations for the descendants of American slavery would go a long way.\" — Thomas Chatterton Williams" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/376/thomas-chatterton-williams-673_american_i-do-think-that-some-form-of-reparations_46547.jpg" --- # I do think that some form of reparations for the… ![“I do think that some form of reparations for the descendants of American slavery would go a long way.” quote by Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/376/thomas-chatterton-williams-673_american_i-do-think-that-some-form-of-reparations_46547.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/376/thomas-chatterton-williams-673_american_i-do-think-that-some-form-of-reparations_46547.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/376/thomas-chatterton-williams-673_american_i-do-think-that-some-form-of-reparations_46547.jpg) > “I do think that some form of reparations for the descendants of American slavery would go a long way.” [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates reparations for slavery descendants to address historic injustices and their lingering socioeconomic impacts. **In simple terms:** Calls for reparations to heal past wrongs. Key Takeaway Reparations can reduce inequality and foster reconciliation. Themes justice historical memory economic equity social healing racial reconciliation Mood reflective hopeful critical Type opinion policy proposal social commentary When to use this quote - policy debates - community forums - academic discussions - activist campaigns - legislative hearings Key Concepts intergenerational trauma policy reform wealth redistribution Practical Applications - designing reparations programs - educational curricula on slavery legacy Questions to Reflect On - What forms of reparations would be most effective? - How can societies measure the impact of reparations? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-slavery/) [Reparations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reparations/) ## Related quotes > [ “\[A\]ll that we call human history—money, poverty, ambition, war, prostitution, classes, empires, slavery—\[is\] the long terrible story of man trying to find something other… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/a-ll-that-we-call-human-history-money-poverty-ambition-war/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [Black people are experiencing a systemic disadvantage, and it goes back to slavery, which was not that long ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-simien/black-people-are-experiencing-a-systemic-disadvantage-and-it-goes/) [Justin Simien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-simien/) > [It was a glorious resurrection, from the tomb of slavery, to the heaven of slavery. My long-crushed spirit rose, cowardice departed, bold defiance took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/it-was-a-glorious-resurrection-from-the-tomb-of-slavery-to-the-heaven/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [And out of that hopeless attempt has come nearly all that we call human history—money, poverty, ambition, war, prostitution, classes, empires, slavery—the long terrible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-out-of-that-hopeless-attempt-has-come-nearly-all-that-we-call/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Slavery was a long slow process of dulling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-butler/slavery-was-a-long-slow-process-of-dulling/) [Octavia Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-butler/) > [Slavery is a long slow process of dulling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-butler/slavery-is-a-long-slow-process-of-dulling/) [Octavia Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-butler/) > [“Banning the institution of slavery itself long remained only a distant hope in much of Africa and the Middle East, even after it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/banning-the-institution-of-slavery-itself-long-remained-only-a/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [“Although slavery has long been a part of human history, American chattel slavery represents a case of human trauma incomparable in scope, duration and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-degruy-leary/although-slavery-has-long-been-a-part-of-human-history-american/) Joy Degruy Leary > [Some few, and I am one of them, even wish to God, though at the loss of millions of lives, that the North would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/some-few-and-i-am-one-of-them-even-wish-to-god-though-at-the-loss-of/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [“It was not until the year 1808 that Great Britain abolished the slave trade. Up to that time her judges, sitting upon the bench…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-g-ingersoll/it-was-not-until-the-year-1808-that-great-britain-abolished-the-slave/) [Robert G. Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-g-ingersoll/) > [Some few, & I am one, even wish to God, though at the loss of millions of lives, that the North would proclaim a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/some-few-i-am-one-even-wish-to-god-though-at-the-loss-of-millions-of/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [ “\[N\]early all that we call human history—money, poverty, ambition, war, prostitution, classes, empires, slavery—\[is\] the long terrible story of man trying to find something… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/n-early-all-that-we-call-human-history-money-poverty-ambition-war/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [If I could save the Union without freeing any slave, I would do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/if-i-could-save-the-union-without-freeing-any-slave-i-would-do-it/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I would save the Union. I would save it the shortest way under the Constitution. The sooner the national authority can be restored; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-would-save-the-union-i-would-save-it-the-shortest-way-under-the/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/my-paramount-object-in-this-struggle-is-to-save-the-union-and-is-not/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) ## More by Thomas Chatterton Williams > [Pent-up white racism did fire Mr. Trump's candidacy, and he happily fanned the flames.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/pent-up-white-racism-did-fire-mr-trump-s-candidacy-and-he-happily/) [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) > [The ideal post-Trump politician will, at the very least, be a deeply serious figure with a strong record of public service behind her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/the-ideal-post-trump-politician-will-at-the-very-least-be-a-deeply/) [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) > [I think that unlearning race for black people is more along the lines of seriously saying blackness isn't real, race isn't real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/i-think-that-unlearning-race-for-black-people-is-more-along-the-lines/) [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) > [If the idea of separate human races is a mistake to begin with, then monoracial forms of identification are fictitious and counterproductive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/if-the-idea-of-separate-human-races-is-a-mistake-to-begin-with-then/) [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) > [Paris has long been a palimpsest of different cities, each new iteration grafted on top of the still visible last, spanning the extremes of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/paris-has-long-been-a-palimpsest-of-different-cities-each-new/) [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) > [I've been socially deemed black in America, and this is a category that's been hurting my family for generations and that has also led…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/i-ve-been-socially-deemed-black-in-america-and-this-is-a-category/) [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) > [The French, whose fascination with 19th-century Japanese painting and decorative art led them to coin the term 'Japonisme,' have reciprocated the interest, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/the-french-whose-fascination-with-19th-century-japanese-painting-and/) [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) > [White people have basically been encouraged for most of recent history in America to think of themselves as outside of race. White people do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/white-people-have-basically-been-encouraged-for-most-of-recent/) [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) > [Well, I think that hip-hop is not just a music. It's really a culture and it's a way of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/well-i-think-that-hip-hop-is-not-just-a-music-it-s-really-a-culture/) [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) > [I had the benefit, I'll say it, of coming up behind my brother and seeing what he went through and just simply trying do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/i-had-the-benefit-i-ll-say-it-of-coming-up-behind-my-brother-and/) [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) > [It is mind-blowing to pause and think that a film as forward-facing and potent as 'Do the Right Thing' was released the same year…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/it-is-mind-blowing-to-pause-and-think-that-a-film-as-forward-facing/) [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) > [I write a lot about race precisely because I don't believe it's real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/i-write-a-lot-about-race-precisely-because-i-don-t-believe-it-s-real/) [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) > [If the first year of the Trump administration has made anything clear, it's that experience, knowledge, education and political wisdom matter tremendously. Governing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/if-the-first-year-of-the-trump-administration-has-made-anything-clear/) [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) > [Traveling through France in regular times, for better or worse, I am simply perceived as an American.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/traveling-through-france-in-regular-times-for-better-or-worse-i-am/) [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) > [My father very early on had both short and long-term strategies in his approach to raising his children, so my father was disturbed by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/my-father-very-early-on-had-both-short-and-long-term-strategies-in/) [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) [Explore all 98 Thomas Chatterton Williams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) ## More American quotes > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [William Maxwell's my favorite North American writer, I think. And an Irish writer who used to write for 'The New Yorker' called Maeve Brennan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/william-maxwell-s-my-favorite-north-american-writer-i-think-and-an/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [I have fallen in love with American names, the sharp names that never get fat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vincent-benet/i-have-fallen-in-love-with-american-names-the-sharp-names-that-never/) [Stephen Vincent Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vincent-benet/) > [I really like a lot of American country stuff, so my music has that influence, but I don't like to be set within a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-bird/i-really-like-a-lot-of-american-country-stuff-so-my-music-has-that/) [Jade Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-bird/) > [I certainly don't think that the heirs of the American Revolution were a particularly noble class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-certainly-don-t-think-that-the-heirs-of-the-american-revolution/) [H. W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/) > [Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act in a tremendous investment to support millions of workers without a paycheck and behind on bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-auchincloss/congress-passed-the-american-rescue-plan-act-in-a-tremendous/) [Jake Auchincloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-auchincloss/) > [Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy and employ almost half of the working population. Yet because of their size, they rarely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-lipinski/small-businesses-are-the-backbone-of-the-american-economy-and-employ/) [Dan Lipinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-lipinski/) > [Although I write in English, and despite the fact that I'm from America, I consider myself an Armenian writer. The words I use are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/although-i-write-in-english-and-despite-the-fact-that-i-m-from/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [Firefighters and rescue workers are American superheroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-kennedy/firefighters-and-rescue-workers-are-american-superheroes/) [Kerry Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-kennedy/) > [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [New York and San Francisco are distinctly different. San Francisco is driving the American media, not New York. You have young, microwaved millionaires and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-whitlock/new-york-and-san-francisco-are-distinctly-different-san-francisco-is/) [Jason Whitlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-whitlock/) > [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. We have to take risks and it's important that we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/well-look-cia-is-an-agency-that-has-to-collect-intelligence-do/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [Food as a hobby used to be an elite pastime, and it has become something that is totally ordinary for people of every background.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/food-as-a-hobby-used-to-be-an-elite-pastime-and-it-has-become/) [Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/) > [It's important for American soldiers to be culturally sensitive when deployed in foreign countries. But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) Browse all 7,717 American quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I do think that some form of reparations for the descendants of American slavery would go a long way.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Chatterton Williams" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/i-do-think-that-some-form-of-reparations-for-the-descendants-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "American" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/i-do-think-that-some-form-of-reparations-for-the-descendants-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/376/thomas-chatterton-williams-673_american_i-do-think-that-some-form-of-reparations_46547.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/376/thomas-chatterton-williams-673_american_i-do-think-that-some-form-of-reparations_46547.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/376/thomas-chatterton-williams-673_american_i-do-think-that-some-form-of-reparations_46547.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I do think that some form of reparations for the descendants of American slavery would go a long way.” — Thomas Chatterton Williams", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Thomas Chatterton Williams", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I do think that some form...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/i-do-think-that-some-form-of-reparations-for-the-descendants-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/i-do-think-that-some-form-of-reparations-for-the-descendants-of/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```