N'nanba Expands Evanston Grant Model as DOJ Files Suit

Robin Rue Simmons, known professionally as N'nanba, has moved to replicate the Evanston, Illinois, housing grant in more than 100 communities. The program provides $25,000 to Black residents whose families suffered from discriminatory housing policies. Simmons, a former city councilwoman who now chairs the Evanston Reparations Committee, stated that her group maintains federal redress as its primary goal despite current political headwinds.

The expansion coincides with a federal legal challenge brought by the Justice Department. A federal judge permitted the department to intervene in a lawsuit originally filed by Judicial Watch. The plaintiffs argue that the city distributes funds based on race without identifying specific harms. Michael Bekesha, the attorney for the plaintiffs, asserted that the Constitution prohibits governments from selecting winners and losers solely on racial criteria.

The Justice Department contends that the program violates the 14th Amendment's equal protection clause and the Fair Housing Act. Kiersten Pels, a department spokeswoman, described race-based government benefit programs as unconstitutional and frequently in violation of federal civil rights law. Last year, the department sent warning letters to leaders in Asheville and Buncombe County, North Carolina, who were considering similar initiatives.

President Donald Trump's administration has pursued a campaign against diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. In a September speech, Trump told supporters that reparations efforts were an attempt to steal money. He stated, "They want to steal your money for reparations," adding that the movement was "going nowhere." William Darity, a co-author of a book on reparations, noted that no previous president had supported comprehensive Black reparations, calling Trump's approach hostile.

The legal and political pressure has affected institutions beyond local governments. Harvard University fired the team behind a project that identified nearly 500 living descendants of people enslaved by its past leaders. The dismissal occurred days after Trump issued an anti-DEI order in January 2025. Richard Cellini, who previously led that Harvard project, reported that new work across higher education has stalled, although outside research continues.

Despite the federal pushback, several programs continue to disburse funds. Georgetown University offers admission consideration to descendants of enslaved people connected to its history. Juan Woolfolk, 36, is using a $10,000 scholarship from the university to study museum studies at Southern University at New Orleans. Virginia Theological Seminary also provides annual cash payments to descendants, supported by an endowment that grew from $1.7 million to $2.8 million since 2019.

In Evanston, Joe Martin, a 46-year-old Delta flight attendant, received one of the $25,000 grants. Martin remarked that the historical promise of "40 acres and a mule" did not materialize as intended. He observed that when a legitimate program is created, the government often resists, comparing the reaction to a refusal to acknowledge the debt.