-Caveat Lector- Euphorian spotted this on the Guardian Unlimited site and thought you should see it.
To see this story with its related links on the Guardian Unlimited site, go to http://www.guardian.co.uk Descendants of US slaves sue firms for unpaid work Duncan Campbell in Los Angeles Wednesday September 04 2002 The Guardian Descendants of slaves in the United States have filed a lawsuit against Lloyd's of London and other leading companies for compensation for the unpaid work carried out by their ancestors. The lawsuits, which were filed this week in San Francisco and New York, claim that the companies benefited financially from the work of slaves and should repay the profits made. The oldest man in the US, the son of a slave, is one of the plaintiffs. The legal action is the latest move in a national campaign in the US for reparation for all the work done by slaves. Its aims are encapsulated in the book The Debt: What America Owes to Blacks, by Randall Robinson, which was published in 2000. The companies named in the actions were mainly involved in finance, transport and to bacco. They are: Lloyd's of London; investment banks JP Morgan Chase & Co, Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc, and Brown Brothers Harriman; insurers American International Group Inc; tobacco and insurance conglomerate Loews Corp; rail companies Union Pacific Corp. and Norfolk Southern Corp; textile firm WestPoint Stevens Inc; and tobacco makers RJ Reynolds Tobacco Holdings Inc, Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp, and Liggett Group Inc, now indirectly owned by Vector Group Ltd. An estimated 10 million to 25 million Africans died in the transportation of slaves in what Randall Robinson describes as "an American holocaust." Slavery was abolished in 1865 but despite promises to compensate slaves and their descendants, no financial recompense was made. The actions claim that the corporations are guilty of unjust enrichment from the "immoral and inhumane institution of slavery." Access to the financial records of the firms is sought in the action. Edlee Bankhead, aged 119, the oldest man in the US and the son of a slave, filed a suit in New York. The California action was filed by Chester and Timothy Hurdle, whose father was a slave. "Back then, black folks were treated as if they were no more than animals, they were just bought and sold," Mr Bankhead said in a statement. Deadria Farmer-Paellmann, who has led the campaign for corporate reparations, told Reuters: "We are asking for a humanitarian trust fund, to be used to deal with the vestiges of slavery that 35 million African Americans still suffer from, like housing, education, and economic development in our communities." No figure is named for what is sought in compensation. Similar suits will be filed by other slave descendants in Illinois and Texas. Copyright Guardian Newspapers Limited <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/";>ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
