A long journey for reparations

For 40 months, Rev. Robert Turner walked nearly 43 miles from Baltimore to the White House.

He walked in rain, endured sleet and pushed through snow — without sponsors, security or pay.

“I’m inspired by my faith and by the memory of our people who have given everything to this nation from our bodies, our minds, our talent, our resources and this nation has yet to repair the damage,” Turner said.

The pastor’s monthly journey served as a public act of advocacy for reparations and remembrance. He said each walk honored African Americans who “have never been paid, never been recognized, never received reparations for building this nation.”

Some walks included a stop at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, often called the “Blacksonian,” where Turner laid wreaths.

“At a time when our history is being called negative or depressing, I laid that wreath in solidarity with our history, to remind America that God has not forgotten what has happened to Black people,” he said.

“Where America seems to have forgotten what we’ve gone through,” he said, “God has not forgotten. And God will bring reparations.”

The one-day demonstrations took a physical toll.

“With shoes on, I’m 6-foot-6,” he said. “I’m not a marathon runner. I don’t have a walker’s physique. It’s the most physically painful thing I’ve done — my knees, my feet, my back — it’s painful.”

Turner endured racial slurs from passing drivers. Some splashed him with puddle water. He said he has been struck by vehicles and faced criticism from strangers and, at times, members of his own community.

Despite that, Turner said some of the most powerful moments came from unexpected places. White allies joined him in solidarity, and people of different races, religions and backgrounds walked alongside him.

“I walk with no weapon, no security detail,” he said. “Through some of the most dangerous areas in Maryland and D.C. And I’ve never had a problem from the people on the street. Ever.”

“When you get love from the street, from people who don’t know you, that means something,” he said. “It tells you somebody sees that they’re worth walking for.”

Turner argues that federal reparations legislation is essential to achieving justice.

“We’ve had commissions to study everything,” Turner said. “We’ve studied 9/11, we’ve studied outer space, but we’ve never had a commission to study America’s original sin.”

He pointed to slavery, Jim Crow, redlining, mass incarceration and the war on drugs as interconnected systems that have never been formally addressed through federal action.

“H.R. 40 could help remedy a lot of the ills that we are inflicted with,” he said.

Ashley David, a student at Morgan State University, said reparations may require a broader definition of justice.

“Reparations, such as policy reform, have been done before,” David said. “But when it comes to slavery and systemic racism, everyone has a different perspective about what justice looks like.”

She said meaningful reparations should focus on community investment.

“Money going toward a community instead of just an individual guarantees that it’s being spent on something important,” David said.

Turner told The Afro his 40th walk to the White House, completed last month, marked the end of his monthly marches. He plans to continue the D.C. walk annually while expanding nationwide.

“My goal is to walk to every state capital in the nation,” he said. “This is going nationwide.”

After completing 40 walks — symbolizing “40 acres” and justice deferred — Turner said he feels called to expand.

Rev. Kevin Slayton, a Baltimore pastor who has joined portions of the walk, said expanding beyond Maryland and Washington would elevate the effort.

“Historically, this type of civic engagement has always had an impact, particularly for our community,” Slayton said. “By taking it beyond the state, it grants a higher profile and brings awareness to Black communities where nobody is really working on reparations issues.”

“People won’t always appreciate what he’s doing today,” Slayton said. “But further down the road, they will.”

Both Slayton and David said younger generations will play a key role.

“The greatest role they can play is educating themselves,” Slayton said. “People don’t have to steal anything from you that you don’t know is yours. You just give it away.”

“It gets the word out to others,” David said. “That’s how we connect nowadays.”

Even as he looks to expand, Turner said the walks have never been about publicity.

“They may not even live anymore, the people I’m walking for,” he said. “But I do it in their memory. It’s going to take more work, but I know God will provide.”

This story originally appeared here.

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