Georgia NAACP Renews Call for Slavery Apology

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is at it again and this time it is the Georgia Chapter. Rep. Al Williams believes the timing could finally be right. The chairman of Georgia’s Legislative Black Caucus said Thursday that he will reintroduce a resolution offering the state’s official apology for slavery. He last introduced the legislation in 2007, but it failed to gain consensus, despite the support of a high-profile Senate Republican, Sen. Eric Johnson. The NAACP piggybacked off Williams' desire. Edward DuBose, president of the Georgia chapter of the NAACP, asked Gov. Sonny Perdue in a letter to support the measure.

“Several states have now done it,” Williams said. “The governor of Alabama said he was proud to do it. I’d hate for Georgia to be so progressive on so many issues and dead last on so many social issues.” Records from the 19th century kept at the University of Georgia have been shown to prove the state owned and sold slaves.

Also Thursday, “I requested that Governor Perdue take the lead in the 100th anniversary of the founding of the NAACP and in the spirit of all those states that have already issued an apology,” DuBose said, adding that copies of the letter will be delivered to Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and House Speaker Glenn Richarsdon (R-Hiram) today.

Between the NAACP’s anniversary, the inauguration next week of the nation’s first black president and the growing number of states that have already apologized, Williams and DuBose see an opportunity to succeed where past attempts have failed. Source: Atlanta Journal Constitution

What is the purpose of an apology for slavery? Can it erase the horrific and heinous treatment blacks suffered? Aren't most of these perpetrators dead, anyway? So, exactly what will we gain from this apology? The recession will miraculously disappear and the foreclosures will stop? This is absolutely ridiculous and the last thing we need right now is division. We need unity as we look to the future and figure out how we are going to get out of this economic nightmare. I scarcely think an apology will fix much of anything. I am sure the NAACP could find something more important to work on. Mr. Dubose, just open the very AJC newspaper you were so eager to speak with and take a look at what is going on in Georgia. Massive job cuts. I think people would much rather hear about how to fix the economic problems.