REPORT CARD: ON REPARATIONS
THE BURGE TORTURE REPARATIONS LEGISLATION From 1972 to 1991, former notorious Chicago Police Commander Jon Burge and detectives under his command tortured over 125 Black and Latino men, women and boys at Chicago Police Headquarters. The torture was racially motivated and used to extract confessions. These confessions were used to secure scores of wrongful convictions, including over 10 men who were sentenced to death. On May 6, 2015, the Chicago’s City Council passed reparations legislation providing concrete redress to the Burge torture survivors and their family members, which included: A formal apology from the Mayor and the City Council of Chicago on behalf of all Chicagoans for the torture under notorious former Chicago Police Commander Jon Burge’s command at Area 2 and 3 Police Headquarters from 1972 to 1991; The development of curriculum about the Burge torture cases taught in Chicago Public Schools to 8th and 10th graders; The creation of a counseling center on the South side of Chicago to provide specialized counseling and social services to the Burge torture survivors, family members and all impacted by police violence; A $5.5 million Reparations Fund to provide financial compensation to Burge Torture Survivors still with us. Free enrollment in Chicago City Colleges for the Burge torture survivors, immediate family members and their grandchildren recognizing the legacies of harm caused by the torture and decades of incarceration suffered by the Burge torture survivors and families; and The creation of a public memorial to the Burge torture survivors.
The legislation was the fruit of decades of litigation and organizing. During the 2014-2014 mayoral and aldermanic electoral season, Chicago Torture Justice Memorials (CTJM), Project NIA, We Charge Genocide and Amnesty International, USA led a concerted grassroots campaign to pass the Burge Torture reparations ordinance in the midst of #BlackLivesMatter (#RahmRepNow #ReparationsNow). Mayor Emanuel originally balked at passing the reparations legislation, but his administration negotiated and agreed to pass the legislation when he was battling to win the run-off election against mayoral candidate Jesus “Chuy” Garcia in the spring of 2015.
REPORT CARD ON REPARATIONS LEGISLATION CTJM has worked with members of the City and community partners, devoting scores of hours and volunteer labor to implement the reparations. As we approach the 2019 mayoral and aldermanic election, this report card assesses the City’s role in carrying out the reparations package approved unanimously by the City Council in 2015.
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57 Burge torture survivors, who had no ability to sue, received $100,000 for the torture they endured (a survivor only received less if he had previously received money as part of a lawsuit for the torture he suffered) - PASSED; The Chicago Torture Justice Center (CTJC) in Englewood began providing healing services to all in need in 2017. However, the City has not committed to providing further financial support for CTJC even though the Chicago Police Department continues to engage in rampant excessive force, injuring, killing and traumatizing too many Black and brown people in the City, as found the by the Department of Justice’s Investigation into the Chicago Police Department in 2017. Victims and survivors need and they are entitled to healing services and support to cope with this racially motivated state violence. There is no City funding for the Center after the year 2019. TO BE DETERMINED;
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The Chicago Public School began teaching the Burge torture cases to all 8th and 10th graders in 2017 with the curriculum “Reparations Won: A Case Study in Police Torture, Racism, and the Movement for Justice in the Chicago Police Torture Cases” – PASSED;
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The securing of funding and land for the creation of the public memorial – FAILED.
Now that Mayor Emanuel is not running for re-election, the City has refused to offer a single penny for the creation of the public memorial. Mayor Emanuel and his administration have refused to honor their commitment to create this necessary piece of public history.
are you right on reparations? All of the mayoral and aldermanic candidates who seek to represent the civilians of Chicago must be asked if they are going to ensure the City of Chicago uphold the promises the City made in the reparations legislation. We need people to ask every single person running for office in the City the following questions:
1 Will you support the City of Chicago providing $400,000 to support the creation of a memorial for the Burge torture survivors in 2020?
2 Will you ensure the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) continues to fund the Chicago Torture Justice Center?
3 Will you support and continue to ensure that all 8th and 10th grades in Chicago Public School are taught the Reparations Won Curriculum?
CTJM will collect the answers to each of these questions and post the responses. We should also ask the candidates: Will you vote against the creation of the $95 million Police training academy (the Joint Public Safety Academy) and instead commit this money be used to fund the necessary reparations implementation and other educational and mental health services for the civilians of Chicago? Every single person should ask these questions at every event, town hall and political debate as these issues are worthy of discussion and should determine who are next political leaders will be in the city. For more information on the Burge torture cases and the campaign for reparations check out https://www.chicagotorture.org/. If you have questions or want additional information, please email CTJM at justicememorials@gmail.com or check CTJM out on FB and twitter.