American Freedmen Independent Party Says New York City’s Reparations Effort Should Begin with One of the City’s Most Documented Historical Injustices
The American Freedmen Independent Party (AFIP) is challenging New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to move beyond supporting the idea of reparations and begin taking concrete action by addressing one of the city’s most documented historical injustices—the destruction of Seneca Village.
The challenge comes in response to Mayor Mamdani’s recent interview with journalist Charles M. Blow of The Root, during which the mayor said New York City has a responsibility to confront its history of slavery and discrimination. When asked whether he would support cash reparations if recommended by the New York City Reparations Commission, Mamdani declined to make that commitment, explaining that he would wait for the commission’s recommendations before deciding.
AFIP says the mayor does not need another commission to identify where reparative justice should begin.
“Mayor Mamdani is not simply another politician discussing history,” said Damon K. Jones, New York Representative for the American Freedmen Independent Party. “He is the Chief Executive Officer of the City of New York. That office gives him the authority to recommend legislation, direct city agencies, appoint advisory bodies, and use the influence of his office to begin correcting historical injustices committed by the very government he now leads.”
Founded as an independent political club, AFIP advocates for the constitutional, economic, educational, and civic interests of American Freedmen—the descendants of those who were enslaved in the United States. The organization says it is guided by principles and measurable outcomes rather than loyalty to any political party.
“At AFIP, we believe no political party owns the Black vote,” Jones said. “Our responsibility is to hold every elected official accountable based on results, not rhetoric. If a public official says government has a responsibility to repair historical injustices, we expect them to explain how they intend to do that.”
According to the organization, Seneca Village represents one of the clearest examples of government-sanctioned economic harm against Black New Yorkers.
Before Central Park existed, Seneca Village was a thriving community of predominantly Black property owners. Residents owned homes, churches, schools, and businesses, building wealth through land ownership during a time when opportunities for Black Americans were severely limited. In the 1850s, the City of New York used eminent domain to acquire the land, displacing residents and demolishing the community to make way for Central Park.
“The city gained one of the world’s most celebrated public parks,” Jones said. “Black families lost homes, churches, businesses, land, and generations of wealth that should have been passed on to their children. That history has already been documented. The question today is whether New York City’s leadership is prepared to act on it.”
AFIP is calling on Mayor Mamdani to establish a Seneca Village Reparative Justice Initiative that would identify descendants where possible, recommend legislation to the New York City Council, preserve the community’s history, and explore policies designed to repair the economic harm caused by the city’s actions.
Jones said reparative justice should extend beyond symbolic acknowledgment and include policies that promote long-term economic opportunity.
“Reparations should not simply be about acknowledging what happened,” he said. “They should be about restoring opportunities that government helped destroy. That includes strengthening Black homeownership, expanding Black-owned businesses, increasing access to capital, preserving historically Black communities, and rebuilding generational wealth.”
The organization also credited Charles M. Blow for raising the issue of reparations during The Root interview but argued that a key follow-up question was left unanswered.
“Charles M. Blow deserves credit for asking the mayor about reparations,” Jones said. “But the obvious follow-up is this: If you believe New York City has a responsibility to repair historical injustice, what specific actions are you prepared to take today? Leadership isn’t about waiting for another commission. Leadership is about using the authority of your office to begin solving problems now.”
AFIP said its challenge is intended to move the public conversation beyond general support for reparations and toward specific policies tied to documented historical injustices.
“We’re not asking the mayor to abandon the commission,” Jones said. “We’re asking him to lead. Seneca Village is one of the most well-documented examples of Black wealth being taken through government action. If New York City is serious about reparative justice, that’s where the conversation should begin.”
The American Freedmen Independent Party describes itself as an independent political organization dedicated to advancing the permanent interests of American Freedmen through civic education, policy development, leadership training, and voter engagement.
“Our guiding principle is simple,” Jones said. “‘No Permanent Friends. No Permanent Enemies. Only Permanent Interests.’ That’s how we evaluate every elected official and every public policy.”
For more information about the American Freedmen Independent Party or to read the organization’s full statement, visit www.AFIPNY.org.
