Applications Open for Reparations Scholarships Supporting Descendants of Enslaved Black Americans

April 18, 2025

The Justice League of Greater Lansing Michigan is offering ten $2,500 Reparations Scholarships for the second year, now expanded to include both graduating high school seniors and nontraditional students in Ingham, Eaton, and Clinton counties. Applicants must be descendants of enslaved African Americans (defined as individuals with three generations born in the US), begin studies at an accredited institution in fall 2025, and submit a 500-word essay about how the racial wealth gap has affected their family by May 9, 2025. The scholarships are funded primarily by reparations payments from faith-based institutions acknowledging their historical complicity in slavery, with Prince Solace, president of the Justice League, emphasizing that these scholarships represent economic justice rather than charity.

Who is affected

Descendants of enslaved African Americans residing in Ingham, Eaton, and Clinton counties
Both graduating high school seniors and nontraditional students (including those with GEDs, past high school graduates, or vocational training program completers)
Black families who have experienced generational loss and barriers to wealth-building
Ten scholarship recipients who will receive $2,500 each

What action is being taken

The Justice League is currently accepting applications for ten $2,500 Reparations Scholarships until May 9, 2025
Faith-based institutions are contributing to a growing Reparations Fund that finances these scholarships
The Justice League is expanding eligibility criteria to include nontraditional students alongside high school seniors
The organization is actively spreading information about the application process through their website and downloadable flyers

Why it matters

The scholarships address historical injustices stemming from slavery and its lasting impacts on Black Americans
The initiative provides financial assistance to improve access to higher education for descendants of enslaved people
This represents a practical model of reparations that moves beyond theoretical discussions to concrete action
The program acknowledges the systemic barriers that have prevented Black families from building generational wealth
Education is prioritized as a direct path to mobility and restoration for those historically excluded from wealth-building

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: Michigan Chronicle