John,

Today marks 158 years since the ratification of the 13th Amendment to our Constitution — abolishing slavery and involuntary servitude.

The 13th Amendment was a turning point in our nation's story. While this event formally ended the system of chattel slavery in the United States, it was far from the end of our struggle for true freedom.

Black families have never been able to recover economically from lifetimes of marginalization — creating a cycle of generational poverty. It's why I've proudly co-sponsored legislation since 2018 in Congress to study and develop reparations proposals. We can't move forward without confronting America's past.

I'm calling on Congress to hold a comprehensive conversation about reparations for slavery and Jim Crow legal oppression. On today's anniversary, will you add your name next to mine if you support reparations for the descendants of enslaved people?

The topic of reparations is uncomfortable for some. But avoiding the conversation will never bring about justice. There will never be a "perfect time" for this conversation.

To this day, the descendants of formerly enslaved Africans are living with the ramifications and lingering effects of centuries of bondage, dehumanization, mass killings, sexual violence, and brutal oppression. Discrimination and inequalities persist in our institutions of education, housing, health care, criminal justice, and policing.

John — That is why we must act now to confront the truth, address our nation's sins, and give everyone a fair shot at the American Dream.

If you agree we need reparations for the descendants of enslaved people, will you add your name next to mine?

In solidarity,

Dwight