Policy Review
The Foundational Black Americans Grio examines federal, state, and local policy through the lens of FBA history, equity, and community impact — from reparations and voting rights to economic justice and education reform.
Laws and policies have always shaped the lives of Foundational Black Americans — from the Black Codes and Jim Crow to the Civil Rights Act and beyond. Understanding current policy is not optional; it is an act of self-determination. The FBA Grio Policy Review section exists to make that understanding accessible, honest, and grounded in our community's lived experience.
We review legislation, executive actions, court decisions, and institutional policies that directly affect FBA communities. We do not offer legal advice — we offer informed analysis, historical context, and a clear-eyed assessment of what these policies mean for our people.
Focus Areas
Federal and state-level reparations legislation, HR 40, commission findings, and the ongoing national debate over acknowledgment and repair for the descendants of enslaved Americans.
Voting access legislation, redistricting, voter ID laws, polling place closures, and the erosion of protections won during the Civil Rights Movement — and what FBA communities can do about it.
Wealth gap policy, federal contracting, small business access, housing discrimination, banking equity, and economic development initiatives targeting FBA communities.
Curriculum legislation, book bans, school funding equity, historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), and policies affecting how FBA history is taught in American schools.
Sentencing reform, policing policy, mass incarceration, wrongful conviction, and the disproportionate impact of the criminal justice system on Foundational Black American communities.
Healthcare access, maternal mortality, mental health funding, environmental justice, and the systemic health disparities that continue to affect FBA communities at every stage of life.
Current Reviews
First introduced in 1989 by Rep. John Conyers, HR 40 calls for the establishment of a commission to study the legacy of slavery and its ongoing effects, and to make recommendations for remedies. As of 2026, the bill has been reintroduced in successive Congresses but has not passed the full House. The FBA Grio supports its passage as a necessary first step toward acknowledgment and repair.
Following the Supreme Court's 2013 Shelby County v. Holder decision, which gutted the preclearance provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, Congress has repeatedly attempted to restore federal oversight of state voting laws. The Voting Rights Advancement Act would update the coverage formula and restore protections that have been systematically dismantled over the past decade.
Florida's Individual Freedom Act restricts how race-related concepts may be taught in public schools and workplaces. Critics argue it suppresses accurate teaching of FBA history, including slavery, Reconstruction, and the Civil Rights Movement. Multiple provisions have faced legal challenges. The FBA Grio opposes any legislation that limits honest, historically accurate education about Black American history.
The Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) was enacted in 1977 to address redlining and encourage banks to meet the credit needs of the communities they serve. Recent regulatory updates seek to modernize the CRA for the digital banking era. The FBA Grio monitors these changes closely, as equitable access to capital remains one of the most pressing economic justice issues facing FBA communities.
Our Position
"We evaluate every policy on one standard: does it advance the full recognition and equity of Foundational Black Americans?"
The FBA Grio does not endorse political parties. We evaluate policy on a single standard: does it advance or hinder the full recognition, equity, and flourishing of Foundational Black Americans? We apply that standard without apology, regardless of which party or administration sponsors the legislation.
Our policy positions are informed by FBA history, community input, legal analysis, and the documented evidence of how similar policies have affected our community in the past. We believe that an informed community is an empowered community — and that policy literacy is a form of self-defense.
Have a policy you want us to review? A piece of legislation affecting your community? Reach out and let us know.
Submit a Policy for Review