Illinois City Distributes $25K Reparations Payments to 44 Black Residents

Evanston's reparations program aims to address historical discrimination and housing inequities.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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The city of Evanston, Illinois has announced it will issue $25,000 direct cash payments to 44 Black residents and descendants of Black residents who lived in the city between 1919 and 1969. This is part of Evanston's reparations program, which was established in 2019 and approved by the City Council in 2021 to provide $10 million in reparations over 10 years.

Why it matters

Evanston's reparations program is the first of its kind in the nation, aiming to address historical housing discrimination and inequities faced by the Black community. The payments are intended to help cover housing expenses for eligible residents. The program has faced some legal challenges, but the city is committed to moving forward with the reparations effort.

The details

The $25,000 payments will go to 44 residents who meet the eligibility criteria of being Black and having lived in Evanston between 1919 and 1969. The reparations fund has received $276,588 so far, primarily from a real estate transfer tax and a proposed tax on Delta-8 THC products. The city says it will continue to pay out as funds become available, though the pace may be limited by the revenue sources.

  • Evanston's reparations program was established in 2019 and approved by the City Council in 2021.
  • The first round of $25,000 payments will be distributed to 44 eligible residents in the coming weeks.

The players

Evanston Reparations Committee

The committee that oversees Evanston's reparations program, which was the first of its kind in the nation.

Cynthia Vargas

An Evanston official who stated the $25,000 payments are intended to cover housing expenses for eligible residents.

Tasheik Kerr

The assistant to the Evanston city manager, who said the 44 residents will be contacted to inform them their payments are on the way.

Ald. Krissie Harris

An Evanston alderman who recognized that a proposed tax on Delta-8 THC products would not significantly increase revenue for the reparations fund, but would "help keep moving that number forward".

Tom Fitton

The president of Judicial Watch, which filed a lawsuit against Evanston's reparations program due to its use of race as an eligibility requirement.

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What they’re saying

“It's really important for people to understand we pay as we have the money, and it's not that we're withholding from paying everyone. It's just we have to accumulate the funds to make sure we can pay.”

— Ald. Krissie Harris, Evanston Alderman (The Daily Northwestern)

“To date, Evanston has awarded over $6,350,000 to 254 individuals based on their race. The city must be stopped before it spends even more money on this clearly discriminatory and unconstitutional reparations program.”

— Tom Fitton, President, Judicial Watch (Fox News)

What’s next

The Evanston Reparations Committee will continue to seek funding sources to sustain the $10 million, 10-year reparations program, including exploring a tax on Delta-8 THC products. The program also faces an ongoing legal challenge from Judicial Watch over its use of race-based eligibility criteria.

The takeaway

Evanston's reparations program represents a pioneering effort by a municipality to directly address historical housing discrimination and inequities faced by its Black residents. While the program faces some legal hurdles, it serves as a model for other cities and states considering similar reparations initiatives to reckon with the lasting impacts of systemic racism.