New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he is open to the possibility of reparations for slavery, stating that the city should carefully consider recommendations from an ongoing review examining New York’s historical involvement in the institution.

In an interview with The Root, Mamdani said slavery was not solely a Southern issue and argued that New York City played a significant role in the nation’s slave economy, making it important to confront that history.

“We often think about slavery and the complicity in slavery as being exclusively to certain geographic areas of the country,” Mamdani said. “Here in New York City, we were very complicit.”

While declining to endorse any specific proposal before the review is complete, Mamdani said he intends to evaluate its findings once they are released.

“I can’t give you an answer in advance,” he said, “but I can tell you that this is critically important because this is also what it looks like to acknowledge what history truly was.”

The comments come as New York City continues examining whether reparations or other forms of redress should be recommended for descendants of enslaved people. Similar efforts have been launched in several states and municipalities, though no large U.S. city has implemented a broad cash reparations program.

The issue remains highly divisive. Supporters argue that reparations are an appropriate response to the lasting effects of slavery and discriminatory policies, while opponents question who should be eligible and who should bear the financial responsibility.

Critics also note that much of New York City’s current population consists of immigrants or descendants of immigrants—including many Jewish, Asian, Hispanic, and European families—whose ancestors arrived long after slavery ended and had no direct connection to it. Others point out that many Black New Yorkers trace their roots to the Caribbean or more recent immigration rather than to enslaved people in the United States, adding further complexity to determining eligibility for any reparations program.

Good luck, as always, Mr Mayor.