California’s constitution proclaimed that “neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, unless for punishment of a crime, shall ever be tolerated.” Yet archives statewide contain evidence that slavery was practiced out in the open. In 1848 when the gold rush hit, white southerners flocked to the state with hundreds of enslaved Black people, forcing them to toil in gold mines, often hiring them out to cook, serve, or perform a variety of labor. Sometimes fortunes were amassed on the backs of this free labor. Yet California’s place in the nation’s history of slavery is missing from most historical accounts and many are surprised to learn of its practice in the golden state.Assemblywoman Shirley Weber (D-San Diego) called the bill “groundbreaking” and pointed out and pointed out that it was authored last year, long before the deaths of George Floyd and many others sparked nationwide protests. “A lot of people think we’re responding to the moment,” Webber said. “We’re responding to the history of California.” The passage of Assembly Bill 3121 received the approval of Ice Cube, who tweeted on Wednesday: “Thank you Governor @GavinNewsom for signing AB3121,” adding, “Thank you @ADOSLosAngeles for bringing the bill to my attention so we could push from all angles.”
California Governor Signs Historic Bill That Could Result in Slavery Reparations for Black Americans is a post from: Gossip On This - Pop Culture, News & VideosThank you Governor @GavinNewsom for signing AB3121 https://t.co/PKUcMtXb69 and Thank you @ADOSLosAngeles for bringing the bill to my attention so we could push from all angles. — Ice Cube (@icecube) September 30, 2020