Key Takeaways:
- KC reparations study finally underway
- Research targets five key areas
- Expect investments, not cash checks
After years of delays, Kansas City’s long-awaited reparations study is finally underway. The Mayor’s Commission on Reparations, sworn in May 2023, has hired a research team to begin a 16-month project examining how city policies harmed Black residents — and what remedies may be possible.
“This commission has been stalled for a very long time, and we finally got movement,” said Terri Barnes, chair of the commission, in a recent community presentation.
How the Commission Was Formed
The roots of the commission trace back to the Kansas City Reparations Coalition, which spent three years laying the groundwork and gaining support from the City Council and mayor.
In January 2023, the City Council voted 10–1 to establish the commission. The coalition also had input on the members selected. But forward motion quickly hit a wall — funding. The commission was approved and seated, but no money was provided to complete its work.
Barnes now says the delay turned out to be a blessing in disguise. “We had two years to attend conferences across the country, to learn from attorneys and organizers who have been in this fight for years. In hindsight, it put us in a much better position than if they had handed us money at the time,” she said.
Funding Battles and Federal Pressure
The commission requested $510,000 to hire a research team but was eventually approved for $330,000. They issued a request for proposals earlier this year, interviewed respondents, and selected a contractor — then hit another wall.
In today’s anti-DEI climate, the city’s legal staff raised concerns that reparations work could be considered “DEI-related,” putting future federal funding at risk.
The commission reached out to longtime advisor Mickey Dean, who connected them with attorneys in the national reparations movement. Together, they helped address the city legal staff’s concerns, and the contract was finally approved this summer.
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A Comprehensive Study of City Harms
The commission has hired Carter Development Group, a Florida-based firm led by Dr. Adrian Carter, who will work with a 12-member team that includes five Kansas City researchers. They will also partner with the University of Missouri–Kansas City’s Dept. of Economics.
Over the next 16 months, the team will research, investigate, and deliver separate reports on five areas: economics, health, housing, criminal justice, and education. Each report will document what occurred, when and where it happened, who was involved, and how Kansas City policies or practices contributed to the harm experienced by African Americans.
Community interviews will be a key part of the research.
“The goal is to deliver a comprehensive report that identifies the damage done to Kansas City’s Black residents — what the city has done, failed to do, or contributed to historically and currently,” Barnes said.
Building Awareness & Managing Expectations
This week, the research team made its second trip to Kansas City. Their first visit focused on familiarizing themselves with the city, touring key neighborhoods, and meeting with longtime leaders such as Ollie Gates, former Mayor Sly James, and Alvin Brooks. They also heard presentations from city department heads.
Barnes said she was struck by how much support they found inside city hall. “Every department leader who came in and did a presentation said they were supportive of this work and glad to see it move forward,” she said.
At the same time, Barnes cautioned against unrealistic expectations. “Some people are waiting on their cash check,” she said. Echoing comments by Dean, she added: “On the local level, it more than likely won’t be a check. Mayor Lucas has said he thought it would be in the way of a targeted investment.”
Looking Ahead
While the researchers do their work, Barnes said raising public awareness will remain critical.
“There’s a lot of documented information out there already that speaks to discrimination and harm that has happened to African Americans in Kansas City,” she said. “This is about identifying it clearly and showing how the city was complicit.”
When the research is complete, Kansas City will face a pivotal decision: whether to become one of the few American cities to not only acknowledge its role in racial harm, but also chart a path toward repair.
