Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is reportedly seeking support from Pope Leo XIV in his fight for reparations in Chicago. Johnson met with Pope Leo during a Chicago delegation’s visit to the Vatican. The delegation included George Floyd family lawyer Antonio Romanucci.
During the visit, Johnson presented Pope Leo with Chicago-themed apparel, including a Chicago Cubs hat. Johnson also gifted the pope a key to Chicago, highlighting the pope’s birth and upbringing in the city.
As part of Johnson’s effort, dubbed ‘Repair Chicago,’ the initiative aims to collect lived experiences of harm suffered by Black Chicagoans to provide reparations. In 2024, Johnson signed an executive order to establish a 40-member reparations task force. This task force will address historical harms against Black Chicagoans and their ancestors.
Before departing for Rome, Johnson expressed his intent to discuss reparations with Pope Leo. He stated, ‘That’s an important conversation… Absolutely… Yes. I want to be very clear about that.’
Pope Leo previously apologized for the Vatican’s historical role in supporting slavery during his first papal encyclical. He acknowledged the Vatican’s record as a ‘wound in Christian memory.’
Noting America’s upcoming 250th birthday, Johnson commented, ‘This nation is not what it is without the free labor and the forced labor of Black people,’ highlighting the enduring impact of slavery.
The pope’s apology aligns with Johnson’s efforts to ‘repair the harm caused by slavery.’ Johnson emphasized that his engagement with the pope advances the agenda at all levels of government, including Springfield and City Council.
The Mayor’s ‘Repair Chicago’ initiative will involve bus tours, panel discussions, town halls, and hearings. These activities aim to assist task force members in gathering input for the reparations study.
Two years ago, Johnson appointed Carla Kupe as the chief equity officer to lead the reparations task force with a $500,000 budget. A UN official identified reparations as crucial in dismantling systemic racism.
Chicago might follow other regions in considering reparations. The Illinois reparations commission released a report detailing historical harms against Black residents. Nearby Evanston initiated reparations by offering $25,000 direct cash payments to eligible Black residents and descendants.
Johnson’s office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.