• Originally published on 4/26/2004 in the Detroit Free Press [here]
  

Wayne County seeks company disclosure of slavery ties

DETROIT (AP) -- Some companies seeking to do business with Wayne County would have to disclose their historic ties to slavery under a proposal that could come to a vote next week. The plan before the County Commission would apply to companies bidding on contracts of $20,000 or more. Wayne County has about 2 million residents and includes Detroit and its southern and western suburbs.

Bidders would have to reveal whether they "invested in, or supported or profited in some manner from the institution of slavery."

The ordinance would not require payment of reparations to the descendants of slaves but might supply information helpful to reparations suits.

Commissioners could vote on the ordinance May 6.

"This is very sensitive, but it's not going away," sponsoring Commissioner Kwame Kenyatta told The Detroit News. "The argument you hear is, "I wasn't around in slavery. My company wasn't around.' Well, let's find out. Let's look at the wealth of the old-money companies."

The Detroit City Council considered but failed to enact a similar proposal earlier this year and in 2002.

In October 2002, Chicago became the first major American city to require contractors to disclose profits they might have made from slavery.

Kenyatta, a Detroit Democrat, said companies that disclose slave profits would not be at a disadvantage for contracts.

Commissioner Lyn Bankes said the ordinance could be hard to implement.

"I have no idea how this would even work," the Livonia Republican said. "I want to be sympathetic, but we need to be realistic: This would impact businesses in a tough economy."