The Atlanta City Council has approved a resolution appointing members to the newly formed City of Atlanta Reparations Study Commission, and among those selected is Dr. Adria Welcher, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Morehouse College.
Established to research and document the city’s historical role in the legal discrimination of African American residents impacted by slavery, the commission is charged with developing recommendations for potential remedies to address resulting economic, educational, health, and social disparities.
The 14-member commission includes representatives from the City of Atlanta, local colleges and universities, civic organizations, and advocacy groups.
As a scholar of sociology and social justice, Dr. Welcher brings an academic lens rooted in equity, community engagement, and the pursuit of historical accountability.
According to the NAACP, today’s advocacy for reparations stems from the unfulfilled promise of the U.S. government to grant formerly enslaved African Americans “40 acres and a mule” following emancipation in 1865, a commitment that was never realized after more than 200 years of enslavement, brutality, and systemic oppression.
Through her appointment, Dr. Welcher joins a distinguished group of civic and academic leaders dedicated to examining Atlanta’s historical injustices and exploring actionable strategies for healing and restitution.