State Sen. Al Williams wants the current legislative session to approve a resolution that would require Georgia to apologize for slavery. His proposal faces considerable and principled opposition, but nevertheless merits serious discussion and then approval.
Sen. Williams, a former chairman of the legislative black caucus, says an apology would “deal with the history” of slavery in Georgia. “It [history] is what it is. Slaves did work on the Capitol and in the state of Georgia.” That’s undeniable. So is the fact that Georgia, as an institution, owned slaves and profited by that ownership. Clearly, there are grounds for an apology, or an expression of “regret” for slavery. The latter is an acceptable option to an apology, according to Sen. Williams.
That does not mean that one will be forthcoming. Many people in the Legislature and around the state — including those who readily admit that slavery was abhorrent — obdurately oppose an apology of any type relating to slavery. Some say an apology might be appropriate, but would do little to improve the lives of the nation’s black citizens. Many others say that Georgians alive today played no role in the affairs of the past and therefore have no reason to apologize for the transgressions of others. There is, to be sure, truth in each of those beliefs.
Still, slavery played a prominent and indisputable role in Georgia history. Political leaders of the time, readily encouraged by much of the populace, approved regulations that allowed and protected the institution of slavery. The same forces supported the cruel post-Civil War Jim Crow and segregationist laws that were extensions of a legal system that demeaned human beings of color for decades after the legal demise of slavery. Those actions remain a stain on Georgia history.
An apology or expression of regret for the state’s role, rather than an apology on behalf of individuals, should appease those who currently oppose Sen. Williams’ resolution. It would address the historical issues involved and at the same time reaffirm Georgia’s commitment to equality for all.
Such an apology is not without precedent. Six other states — Virginia, Florida, Alabama, North Carolina, New Jersey and Maryland — have approved resolutions apologizing or expressing regret for slavery. A resolution of apology for slavery — introduced by Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennessee — was approved by the U.S. House in 2008. Discussions about similar proposals in other states continue, though there is no indication at the moment that those resolutions are nearing approval.
What takes place elsewhere should have no bearing on the fate of Sen. Williams’ resolution in Georgia. In a state where the coerced labor of several generations of slaves created significant wealth and infrastructure, an apology or statement of regret about the institution of slavery would have an extraordinary moral resonance.