Yvette Carnell, photo via Twitter/Marc H. Morial, photo via website
Urban League President Marc Morial has formalized his opposition to the ADOS (American Descendants of Slavery) movement and other grassroots lineage-based reparations groups. The decision, outlined in a a letter to the Federal Office of Management and Budget highlights the deep divisions over the approach to achieving reparations for descendants of enslaved Africans in the U.S.
Morial was urging the OMB not to disaggregate data for Native Black Americans. On March 28, OMB announced its decision not to disaggregate data for Native Black Americans has caused the lineage-based reparations movement to speak out. The OMB’s decision is part of the revisions to Statistical Policy Directive No. 15 (Directive No. 15), which sets standards for maintaining, collecting, and presenting federal data on race and ethnicity.
Morial’s stance, made public through a letter to the OMB, represents a significant departure from the traditional civil rights leadership that the Urban League has historically embodied. The memo outlines Morial’s concerns regarding the ADOS movement’s focus on lineage-based criteria for reparations eligibility, arguing that such an approach could undermine broader efforts to secure comprehensive reparations legislation.
The rift between Morial and grassroots reparations advocates, including ADOS co-founder Yvette Carnell, is evident. Carnell, a vocal critic of mainstream civil rights organizations like the Urban League, has accused Morial and others of prioritizing political expediency over the interests of the Black community.
Morial’s letter to the OMB has been circulated widely online. Proponents of lineage-based reparations argue that prioritizing the descendants of enslaved Africans is essential for addressing historical injustices and ensuring that reparations reach those most directly impacted by slavery and its legacy of systemic oppression.
However, Morial and others within the mainstream civil rights establishment caution against a narrow focus on lineage, pointing to the complexities of determining eligibility and the potential for division within the Black community. They advocate for a more inclusive approach that considers a broader range of factors, such as socioeconomic status and historical disadvantage, in determining reparations eligibility.
Carnell tweeted about Morial’s letter, posting, “In @MARCMORIAL’s letter to the OMB, he opposes disaggregation and wants to ensure that ‘Black diasporic perspectives are fully considered’ and directs OMB to ‘engage with trusted and reputable organizations’. Gatekeeping. Bust through the gate.”
She also tweeted, “@MARCMORIAL of @NatUrbanLeague is the latest buttery biscuit gatekeeper to join the smear campaign against #ADOS. 1) He begins by claiming the same Russians who put up fake Black Lives Matter pages are behind #ADOS. With ZERO evidence.”
She went on Morial’s reported ties to big banks. Carnell tweeted, “Can @MARCMORIAL explain why/how he brings home nearly $900,000 in salary at a civil rights organization that represents a disadvantaged group #ADOS?”
When interviewed last year by Karen Hunter for The Karen Hunter Show,” Morial was asked about concrete things his organization had done for the Black community, he walked out of the interview.
Morial sort of skirted her questions and Hunter expressed she though Morial’s responses where superficial.
Hunter expressed disappointment at what she saw as a lack of depth in the discussion and accused him of being defensive to her questions. She said she had hoped for a deeper dive into the issues concerning Black America. Then she quipped that she was very pointed in her questions, and that he didn’t even ask about Morial’s salary. The exchange got heated, with Morial ending the conversation.
According to CharityWatch, the National Urban League paid Morial a total compensation of $1,192,775 based on fiscal 2020 reporting.
“I’m not defensive. I’m gonna ask questions, no no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, this is your show,” he shot back, and when she mentioned that he had not asked about his salary, he said, “No, no, no, no, sister, no, no, no, no, no, I’ve done many interviews. You can’t get that. You can’t take a cheap shot and pull it back.”
Morial thanked Hunter and left the interview.
Yvette Carnell, photo via Twitter, https://twitter.com/BreakingBrown/photo/Marc H. Morial, photo via website, https://nul.org/basic-page/wmy-2022-marc-h-morial
