(The Center Square) – An Ohio lawmaker is looking for support to return land in western Ohio to formerly enslaved people denied to them during the Civil War.
In a letter to Republican Gov. Mike DeWine and other state agencies and elected officials, Rep. Dontavius Jarrells, D-Columbus, wants the governor to support exploring all options to address what Jarrells calls the historical injustice faced by the Randolph Freedpeople.
“To form a more perfect union, we, as responsible citizens and leaders, must carry forward the dream of our Founding Fathers and push our great country and its people forward,” Jarrells wrote. “This often requires us to acknowledge our failures, learn from them, and continue forging ahead together. Our greatest mistake, America’s original sin, has been and remains – the enduring legacy of slavery. However, we occasionally have the chance to eradicate some of the roots of racism and correct history’s greatest wrongs. I find myself at the brink of such an opportunity, and I ask for your support.”