Letter: Hopes for Asheville’s reparations

Graphic by Lori Deaton

My hope is that the people who lived in Asheville in the ’60s and ’70s (Black) will actually see or benefit somehow from funds awarded to the reparation cause.

Many times, funds get “ate up” in administrative costs or constant bickering about ways to spend funds (when people cannot agree on ways to use funds).

I understand this is a slow and meticulous process, but some who lived through that time in Asheville would love to say, “Reparations took place in Asheville.”

I have a somewhat different perspective. I would have funds be spent on building something up rather than tearing down the Vance Monument. I did not agree with withholding funding from the police.

If we (Blacks) had listened more to the Rev. Wesley Grant instead of completely dismissing him, we might have more Black neighborhoods and Black businesses today.

— Anthony Williams
Durham

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8 thoughts on “Letter: Hopes for Asheville’s reparations

  1. WNC

    If your life circle say’s you can’t do it, statistics are against you.

    If your life circle say’s you can do it, statistics are with you.

    * People who plan to fail like to hang around other people who live to explain why they can’t succeed

    If you’ve every played on a lot of sports teams you know the difference.

    One team says we’re going to find away to do it, doesn’t matter if our best couple players go down!

    One team with lots of potential says we’re going to find a way to loose.
    Its great to see a lot of new businesses opening across America by first and second generation new business owners.

  2. Curious

    “If we (Blacks) had listened more to the Rev. Wesley Grant instead of completely dismissing him, we might have more Black neighborhoods and Black businesses today.”
    Could someone explain what the letter writer means? What was the Rev Grant saying that the community did not listen to? Did the community completely dismiss him? I thought he was greatly honored by the community.

  3. Enlightened Enigma

    I didn’t realize there were slaves in Asheville in the 1960s and 70s !!! PLEASE verify who owned them too ! Reparations is within itself RACIST and FASCIST.

    • Jt

      Agreed on the racist, but not sure how you get fascist out of this extreme theft of tax dollars from one skin color to another. The same with capitalizing one skin color. Blatant racism, not actual equality. Such extremism only sends voters to Trump. Foolish.

    • Jason Williams

      The redlining of Asheville pushed black residents from their homes and communities into public housing projects. They were promised that it was only temporary, but many have been there over 60 years. Meanwhile the city demolished their houses and built things like South Charlotte St, and the Public Works Building (garage mahal.)
      But surely you know this because of all your comments on this article here.
      https://mountainx.com/news/uprooted-urban-renewal-in-asheville/

      • Enlightened Enigma

        yes, all of that was the Roosevelt democrats in action…since 1940 in AVL…democrats destroy.

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