William A. Darity Jr. and A. Kirsten Mullen have long fought for reparations for the descendants of the American slave trade. And now Darity, a professor at Duke University, and Mullen, a lecturer whose work focuses on race, art, history, and politics, say that the racial disparities of the COVID-19 pandemic point out the need for reparations.

In an opinion piece for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Darity and Mullen made their argument that attention needs to be refocused on reparations.

At the beginning of campaigning by the 2020 presidential Democrats, most candidates had a plan for or an opinion on reparations. There was even the Juneteenth televised House Judiciary Committee hearing on a bill to establish a study commission for reparations to African Americans.

But, “attention has receded. The remaining Democratic Party candidate shows little enthusiasm for the policy, and President Donald Trump has dismissed it,” wrote Darity and Mullen, who co-authored the book “From Here to Equality: Reparations for Black Americans in the 21st Century.”

They argue that the COVID-19 crisis only highlights the need for reparations.

“Racial divergence in the impact of COVID-19 — which is proving deadliest for Black Americans in Philadelphia and beyond — powerfully reinforces the importance of reparations,” they wrote.

Read the full story here.