Legislative Preliminary Report, June 2026

Issuer: Congressional materials
Document type: Report
Case: 2026 Reparations Leg Preliminary Report Final 7Ae84408 5Ed3 4D97 A563 8557B

Summary

The Legislative Preliminary Report, dated June 2026, for the Charles Mitchell and George Washington Bush study on Reparative Action, prepared by the contractor Truclusion. The report states that the Washington State Legislature funded the study in 2025 for $300,000 under ESSB 5167 (2025), Sec. 129 (25), with the Washington State Department of Commerce selecting Truclusion after a competitive Request for Proposal. It sets out the legislative mandate, a reporting schedule with reports due by June 30, 2026, December 31, 2026 and June 30, 2027, and the study's focus and three research phases. It reports Phase 1 progress, including 132 research questions, an archival directory of 16 parent archival institutions and 48 unique archival collections, and a Community Reparations Survey launched in April 2026. It closes with biographies of the research team and a list of published research.

Summary drafted by a model from the document's text below and checked by script against that text before publication. It is a navigation aid, not a reading of what the document proves. Where AI is used

Cite this document

“Legislative Preliminary Report, June 2026.” Original at app.leg.wa.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/2026-reparations-leg-preliminary-report-final-7ae84408-5ed3-4d97-a563-8557b/, SHA-256 ab358b412aa6e95353126267b5b3e67196dfcd3c31ba671a0ed469b160b4bcac.

Full text

Legislative Preliminary Report, June 2026
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................... 3
Legislative mandate............................................................................................................................... 3
Reporting schedule ................................................................................................................................ 4
Additional information ............................................................................................................................ 4
Background and introduction ..................................................................................................................... 5
The Study’s focus .................................................................................................................................. 5
Research workgroups and phases .......................................................................................................... 6
Workplan after Phase 1 (July 2026 – June 2027) .................................................................................... 6
Phase 1 Progress ...................................................................................................................................... 8
Highlights of Phase 1 ............................................................................................................................. 8
Historical research................................................................................................................................. 8
Data collection ...................................................................................................................................... 9
Community Reparations Survey .............................................................................................................. 9
The Research Team ................................................................................................................................ 11
Research recruitment process .............................................................................................................. 11
Dr. Thomas Craemer, PhD .................................................................................................................... 11
Marvin Slaughter, MPP......................................................................................................................... 11
Dr. Ashley Gardner, PhD ....................................................................................................................... 12
Mica Anders, MFA ................................................................................................................................ 12
Methodology ........................................................................................................................................... 13
Valuation and Policy Team.................................................................................................................... 13
The Genealogy Team ........................................................................................................................... 13
Community research methodology ........................................................................................................ 13
Community engagement plan................................................................................................................... 15
Community Engagement Interest Form .................................................................................................. 15
2026 Community Reparations Survey ................................................................................................... 16
2026 Community listening sessions...................................................................................................... 16
Town halls........................................................................................................................................... 16
Planned schedule of community engagement ........................................................................................ 17
Appendix A: Researcher biographies ......................................................................................................... 18
Appendix B: Published research ............................................................................................................... 21

Page 2 | Truclusion Legislative Preliminary Report for Reparative Action Study
Executive Summary
The Charles Mitchell and George Washington Bush study on Reparative
Action (the Reparations Study) is a state-funded study examining the historical and
enduring harms resulting from United States chattel slavery.

The study has three primary goals:

• To better understand harms experienced by victims of chattel slavery in the
territory now known as Washington
• To better understand how the long impacts of slavery continue to harm the
descendants of victims of chattel slavery
• To offer community-informed recommendations of reparations for the
Washington State Legislature to consider in 2028 and beyond

The Reparations Study was funded in 2025 by the Washington State Legislature for
$300,000. In collaboration with the Washington Commission on African American Affairs
(CAAA), the Washington State Department of Commerce (Commerce) conducted a
competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) from September to December 2025. Truclusion
of DuPont, WA was selected as the successful contractor. They began work on the
study in January 2026.

As of June 2026, Truclusion is making steady progress with the study. They hosted four
monthly informational sessions, launched two community surveys, begun collecting
research data and developed a community engagement work plan.

The Reparations Study is expected to be completed on June 30, 2027.

Legislative mandate

In 2025, the Washington State Legislature funded the Reparations Study as part of the
2025 –27 Operating Budget, ESSB 5167 (2025), Sec. 129 (25).

The proviso states:

(25) $150,000 of the general fund—state appropriation for fiscal year 2026 and
$150,000 of the general fund—state appropriation for fiscal year 2027 are
provided solely for the department, in consultation with the state commission on
African American affairs, to contract with a qualified research entity to conduct
the Charles Mitchell and George Washington Bush study on reparative action for
Washington state's descendants of victims of United States chattel slavery.

Page 3 | Truclusion Legislative Preliminary Report for Reparative Action Study
The Washington State Legislature also required that the selected contractor must
include a research team that contributed to at least three peer-reviewed publications or
policy reports on reparations or economic valuation for descendants of enslaved people.
The contractor must also have expertise in valuation of uncompensated slave labor,
U.S. chattel slavery and reparations doctrine, genealogical research related to direct
lineage tracing, reparative justice and public policy development.

Reporting schedule

The 2025 operating budget directed Commerce and its selected contractor (Truclusion)
to deliver three reports to the Legislature as the study progresses. The first preliminary
report is due by June 30, 2026.

In the June 2026 report, Commerce and Truclusion will share:

• Detailed researcher qualifications
• Study scope
• Methodology
• Outline plan for continued community engagement

The next report, due by December 31, 2026, will provide updates on the study's
progress, including:

• Historical findings
• Survey data collection
• Draft recommendations on discovering lineage for descendants.

A third and final report with policy recommendations and completed data analysis will
be due on June 30, 2027.

Additional information

To learn more about the Reparations Study, visit:

• The Reparations Study proviso in the 2025-2027 Operating Budget (PDF)
• Commerce’s Reparations Study (website)
• Truclusion’s Reparations Study (website)

Page 4 | Truclusion Legislative Preliminary Report for Reparative Action Study
Background and introduction
The Reparations Study research team uses a multidisciplinary approach that combines
historical research, policy analysis, genealogy, valuation methodologies and community
engagement.

The research team is working on:

• Documenting historical and contemporary harms connected to slavery and
discriminatory state action

• Examining the role of Washington laws, institutions and policies in producing or
perpetuating those harms

• Developing methodologies for evaluating reparative remedies and compensation
models

• Providing community-informed recommendations for future legislative
consideration

The study will prioritize transparency, accessibility, historical accuracy and collaboration
with impacted communities, researchers, policymakers and state agencies.

The Study’s focus

For the purposes of this funding, Truclusion will be studying:

• Historical injustices of the United States chattel slavery and their
enduring impact on direct descendants in the state of Washington, particularly
how they relate to Washington laws and policies.
• Historical records on chattel slavery from 1619 to 1865 in what is
today known as the United States. This includes how chattel slavery’s
legacy showed up in the laws, social and economic practices of the Oregon and
Washington territories from 1848 to 1889, and how those practices affected
freed people and their direct descendants.
• Washington’s role — past and present — in maintaining discriminatory laws,
policies and economic systems that harmed direct descendants of victims of U.S.
chattel slavery. This includes areas such as economic opportunity, education and
the criminal justice system.
• Contributions to national conversations on reparations, including
potential frameworks for calculating losses and awarding reparations at the
federal level.

Page 5 | Truclusion Legislative Preliminary Report for Reparative Action Study
• Current and existing state laws and policies that continue to
disproportionately harm direct descendants of people who were enslaved in the
United States, along with recommendations for reform or repeal.
• Methods for calculating, structuring and awarding compensation as a
part of reparative action.
• A cost-benefit analysis of how Washington could be affected by investing
reparations by various modalities. This includes community infrastructure, cash
payments, educational opportunities, medical accounts, pensions and more.
• Results that may inform and guide state-level policy recommendations
that use the social determinants of health framework.
• Other reparative remedies supported by study findings.

Research workgroups and phases

The research team is comprised of four workgroups: Historical Research, Valuation and
Policy, Community Research and Genealogy. All work is split into three phases.

• Phase 1: Each team will prepare their research methodology, design and begin
the research process.
• Phase 2: Each workgroup will collect and analyze data, with findings added to
the December report.
• Phase 3: Workgroups will complete the research process, refine and finalize
policy recommendations for Legislature that will be submitted in the final report.

This report reflects the completion of Phase 1.

Workplan after Phase 1 (July 2026 – June 2027)

Phase 2, which takes place from June 2026 to December 2026, focuses on:

• The Historical Research workgroup analyzing the historical data
collected from Phase 1 and gathering follow-up items requested by the
Valuation and Policy team.
• The Community Research workgroup completing survey data collection,
analyzing results, and facilitating listening sessions for additional community
research.
• The Valuation and Policy workgroup reviewing all historical and
community research conducted. This includes insights provided by the
Community Reparations Advisory Panel and Reparations Expert Advisory Panel.
They will also finalize draft policy recommendations, which will be provided in the
Interim Report to the Legislature (December 2026).

Page 6 | Truclusion Legislative Preliminary Report for Reparative Action Study
• The Genealogy workgroup developing draft criteria to verify lineage.

Phase 3, from January 2027 until the project ends in June 2027, will include:

• The Historical Research workgroup completing any remaining research
and preparing its findings for reporting to the Legislature.
• The Community Research workgroup hosting a final round of community
engagement through town halls statewide.
• The Valuation and Policy workgroup reviewing all historical and community
research, then finalizing its recommendations for the Legislature.
• The Genealogy workgroup completing any lineage-tracing case studies to
inform the study.

Virtual public information sessions are scheduled for the second Friday of each month
to provide project updates and maintain transparency.

Page 7 | Truclusion Legislative Preliminary Report for Reparative Action Study
Phase 1 Progress
Highlights of Phase 1

Successes in Phase 1 include (but are not limited to):

• The Historical Research workgroup developed 132 research questions
and began gathering historical data that the Valuation and Policy team needs
to develop reparation recommendations.
• The Community Research workgroup engaged with individuals and
organizations across the state. It established a list of community key
stakeholders. It also launched a community survey to gather community
members’ insights and preferences on reparations. The survey will remain open
through August 2026.
• The Valuation and Policy workgroup identified more than 130 historical
research items to collect. They also began developing the study’s reparative
methodology and frameworks.
• The Genealogy workgroup conducted preliminary genealogical
research. They also developed trauma-informed approaches and best practices
that will be employed throughout the study.
• Truclusion hosted four informational meetings to share progress and
upcoming work related to the Reparations Study. Recordings are available at
Washington State Reparations Study - TVW.
• Truclusion staff provided updates and information at the Washington State
Commission on African American Affairs (CAAA) meeting on March 20, 2026.

Historical research

Archives have been identified at the state, federal, university, community, and local
levels. They are supplemented with a growing inventory of digital repositories
accessible for remote research. The project has developed an 11-page directory that
encompasses 16 parent archival institutions and 48 unique archival collections,
organized across seven research topics.

The team pursued research across eight geographic areas in Washington:

• Olympia • Bellingham
• Tacoma • Yakima
• Spokane • Roslyn
• Tri-Cities • Ellensburg

Page 8 | Truclusion Legislative Preliminary Report for Reparative Action Study
Some examples of data collection sources include:

• State and regional archives (such as Central Washington University and Eastern
Washington University)
• The Washington State Archives Digital Archives
• The Washington State Historical Society
• Regional periodicals (such as the Tri-Cities Herald and the Courier Reporter)

In addition to in-state repositories, the project has identified national archives holding
materials directly relevant to documenting harms experienced by Black residents of
Washington.

Data collection

The project developed a framework of 132 research questions to map out the
systematic collection of quantitative data. This data will document measurable,
statistical evidence of racial harm across multiple domains, including:

• Wealth and income inequality • Health
• Labor and employment • Education
• Housing • Economic exclusion
• Property ownership • Criminal justice and incarceration
• Historical atrocities and violence • Business and innovation

Some examples of data collected so far include:

• The population of Washington state by county and by race from 1850 to 2025
• Income earnings by race and gender across the 2000s
• Employment/unemployment rates by race and gender in Washington
• Education data from the 2000s, including per-pupil expenditure, standardized
test scores and dropout rates

Data collection is ongoing, and nothing has been finalized. Additional data collected in
Phase 2 and 3 will be incorporated as the research progresses. Because this study uses
an inductive research approach (where the data collected drives analysis), no analysis
of the data has begun during this first data collection phase.

Community Reparations Survey

The Community Reparations Survey successfully launched in April 2026. It serves as the
foundational data collection instrument for hearing from people in Washington.
The Community Reparations Survey employs a mixed-methods approach that includes
both quantitative and qualitative questions. Quantitative items collect demographic
information and assess community perspectives, priorities, preferences and levels of
support related to reparative policies and actions. Qualitative open-ended questions
provide respondents with opportunities to share their perspectives.

Because the survey is ongoing, no data has been analyzed yet. The survey will remain
open through August 2026.

Page 10 | Truclusion Legislative Preliminary Report for Reparative Action Study
The Research Team
The Washington State Legislature directed Commerce to select a contractor that had a
research team with extensive experience working in the field of reparations. It
mandated team members with verified, extensive experience in:

• Reparations scholarship
• Historical analysis
• Public policy development
• Economic valuation
• Genealogy
• Direct lived experience
• Forward-thinking analysis

Research recruitment process

Consistent with ESSB 5167's requirements, Truclusion’s research team was recruited
using strict criteria that satisfied all requirements. The combination of Dr. Thomas
Craemer's academic depth, Marvin Slaughter's contemporary policy agility, Mica Anders'
genealogical work in parallel-state contexts, and Truclusion's community engagement
infrastructure was designed to produce recommendations that will be viable and
credible well into the 2030s and 2040s.

Dr. Thomas Craemer, PhD

Dr. Thomas Craemer’s research focuses on slavery reparations, implicit racial attitudes,
race-related public opinion, as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion. Dr. Craemer has
published extensively and received accolades such as the ISPP’s Roberta Sigel Award,
and the Jeanne Knutson Award.

Dr. Craemer’s work on reparations has been cited in media outlets like Newsweek, the
Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal. His academic work is commonly accepted
as an authority on reparations for slavery and de jure anti-Black discrimination. He
teaches at the University of Connecticut’s School of Public Policy.

Marvin Slaughter, MPP

Page 11 | Truclusion Legislative Preliminary Report for Reparative Action Study
programming, evaluating the impact of financial aid on academic outcomes and
understanding the impact of college programming on labor market outcomes.

Slaughter is a published researcher on the topic of reparations and coauthor of “The
Cumulative Cost of Racism and the Bill for Black Reparations” with Dr. William Darity
and A. Kirsten Mullen in The Journal of Economic Perspectives. Marvin has also served
as the Chairman of the Illinois African Descent Citizens Reparations Commission and
has provided strategic direction for the commission’s research efforts.

Dr. Ashley Gardner, PhD

Dr. Ashley Gardner is a scholar in discrimination research, especially the psychological,
sociological and spiritual aspects of discrimination. Dr. Gardner teaches undergraduate
courses in qualitative and quantitative research, and graduate-level advanced research
at Temple University.

Dr. Gardner has been the lead researcher for multiple national studies, as well as state-
wide and local projects in Washington State. Dr. Gardner earned her Ph.D. at the
University of Tennessee, Master of Arts at University of Michigan, and graduated cum
laude for her B.S. at Hampton University.

Mica Anders, MFA

Mica is in demand nationally as a speaker on African American genealogical research
methodologies and research findings. Her client work spans the United States, Canada,
Jamaica and the United Kingdom with a focus on African American family history.

Page 12 | Truclusion Legislative Preliminary Report for Reparative Action Study
Methodology
Valuation and Policy Team

The Valuation and Policy Team is developing a critical framework for estimating losses
to Black residents from Washington’s complicity in anti-Black discrimination. The work is
grounded in rigorous economic methods that quantify the financial and economic harms
identified through historical research. They are also working closely with the Community
Engagement Team to make sure the framework reflects community priorities and lived
experiences.

The reparations framework consists of:

1. Identifying the best methods for quantifying harms. This includes asking
more than 120 Washington-specific research questions and reviewing more than
40 archives and repositories across the state.
2. Determining which level of government is responsible for each harm.
This includes assessing the roles of the federal government, state and local
jurisdictions (including counties and cities).
3. Developing a specific methodology for each identified harm. Each harm
will have its own calculation method, which will be integrated into one overall
reparations framework.

The Genealogy Team

The Genealogy Team is embarking on a rigorous, historically grounded process for
verifying direct descent from individuals enslaved through U.S. chattel. This
methodology includes:

• Identifying commonly used genealogical sources, such as census records,
slave schedules, Freedmen’s Bureau records, birth and marriage certificates,
wills, manumission papers and other vital records.
• Ensuring the reparations framework is workable and historically sound,
allowing eligible individuals to demonstrate lineage through documentation.
• Identifying challenges and limitations that descendants of victims of U.S.
chattel slavery might face while tracing their ancestry, including gaps in historical
records.

Community research methodology

The community research methodology for the study employs a sequential community-
informed mixed-methods research design that integrates both quantitative and
Page 13 | Truclusion Legislative Preliminary Report for Reparative Action Study
qualitative analysis. This approach ensures that findings and recommendations are
informed by both empirical evidence and lived experience. It also positions community
members as essential contributors throughout the research process 1.

While the research questions, study design and analytical procedures were developed
by the research team, community members will play a central role in informing the
report through participation in surveys, listening sessions, town halls and other
engagement opportunities.

The research is organized into three phases:

• Community survey
• Community listening sessions
• Community town halls

Findings from each phase inform the next. They create a feedback loop between the
research team and community members. This process allows findings to be refined,
helping ensure that recommendations for reparative action reflect both empirical data
and community priorities. 2

1
Ardoin, N. M., Gould, R. K., Wojcik, D., Wyman Roth, N., & Biggar, M. (2022). Community listening sessions:
an approach for facilitating collective reflection on environmental learning and behavior in everyday life.
Ecosystems and People, 18(1), 469-477
2
Creswell, J. W., & Clark, V. L. P. (2017). Designing and conducting mixed methods research. Sage
publications.

Page 14 | Truclusion Legislative Preliminary Report for Reparative Action Study
Community engagement plan
The study’s community engagement plan is designed to provide people with many
opportunities to participate, in an accessible and meaningful way. It will utilize
grassroots, relationship-centered approaches to center those who are the most
impacted and build trust through transparency. Strategies include:

• Surveys
o Community Engagement Interest Form
o Community Reparations Survey
• Listening sessions held across the state
• Town halls for community feedback on report findings
• Monthly informational sessions offered on Zoom and TVW
• Ongoing educational opportunities such as topic-based informational
webinars
• Social media engagement to share updates and gather input
• A project mailing list for ongoing communication over email and text
• A visible on-the-ground presence at local events throughout the state to
raise awareness of the research and encourage survey participation
• Consultation with the Washington State Commission on African
American Affairs (CAAA). The research team kicked off the study at a
Commission meeting. The team will continue to report and collaborate with the
CAAA as progress is made.

Community Engagement Interest Form

Launched in March 2026, the Community Engagement Interest Form allows individuals
and organizations to indicate their preferred types of engagement with the study over
the next two years. Engagement opportunities include:

• Completing and/or sharing the survey
• Attending monthly webinars
• Joining the mailing list to receive study updates
• Participating in or hosting listening sessions and town halls
• Applying to serve on the Community Advisory Panel

Page 15 | Truclusion Legislative Preliminary Report for Reparative Action Study
This interest form plays a vital role in ensuring that the community is reflected in this
work.

Participant contributions will transform data into meaningful narratives and ensure the
study is grounded in lived experiences and community insights.

2026 Community Reparations Survey

The Community Reparations Survey, launched April 10, is gathering community
perceptions and preferences on reparations.

2026 Community listening sessions

Community listening sessions will take place across Washington during summer
2026. During these sessions, the research team will present survey findings and gather
additional feedback. They plan to include:

• In-person sessions in the 12 most populous counties
• Multiple virtual sessions, which will expand access to communities that are not
available to attend in person
During each session, the research team will present key survey findings and review
emerging themes with the public. Community members will be invited to:

• Provide insight on emergent findings
• Share additional perspectives
• Identify areas that warrant further consideration
• Mention issues that may not have emerged in the data

The listening sessions serve two important methodological purposes. They function as a
form of community engagement by allowing participants to contextualize the survey
findings. They also serve as an additional qualitative data collection method. New
insights, perspectives and lived experience will help triangulate the survey data.

Information gathered during these sessions will be documented and analyzed. The
results will inform the development of the December 2026 Interim Report.

Town halls

After the Interim Report is completed in December 2026, the study will engage the
community through statewide town halls. They will be conducted in early 2027.

The town halls are being designed to ensure transparency, accountability and continued
community participation in the recommendation development process. During the town

Page 16 | Truclusion Legislative Preliminary Report for Reparative Action Study
halls, community members will be invited to review the draft report, provide feedback
on proposed recommendations, identify potential gaps or concerns, and mention
considerations for implementation.

Similarly to the community listening sessions, all feedback collected will be
systematically documented and considered as the research team finalizes the report.
Community members will continue to have an opportunity to review and respond to
draft recommendations before they are published.

Planned schedule of community engagement

• Community Reparations Survey: Spring and Summer 2026
• Listening Sessions: Summer 2026
• Community events: Summer 2026
• Town Halls: Early 2027
• Monthly Informational Sessions: Ongoing
• Mailing List: Ongoing throughout the study
• Social Media Platforms: Ongoing throughout the study

Collectively, these strategies aim to support meaningful participation, strengthen
relationships and ensure community voices are incorporated throughout the process. By
centering those who have been most impacted, Truclusion will be able to make policy
recommendations that are directly informed by the descendants of victims of slavery in
Washington.

Page 17 | Truclusion Legislative Preliminary Report for Reparative Action Study
Appendix A: Researcher biographies
THOMAS CRAEMER, Ph.D.

Principal Investigator; Valuation and Policy Team Co-Lead

Dr. Craemer’s work on reparations has been cited in media outlets like Newsweek, the
Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, CNN, Fox News, and the
BBC. His academic work is commonly accepted as an authority on reparations for
slavery and de jure anti-Black discrimination.

Dr. Craemer obtained a political science doctorate in 2001 from the University of
Tübingen, Germany, and a PhD from Stony Brook University, New York, in 2005. He
teaches at the University of Connecticut’s School of Public Policy.

Dr. Craemer has served as a pro-bono consultant for the GU272 Isaac Hawkins Legacy
Group, and for the Reparations Planning Committee organized by Duke University
Professor Dr. William Darity Jr. He was also part of a 5-person expert team advising the
California Reparations Task Force, served on New York State Senator Sanders’s “40
Acres and an EV” Coalition in support of New York State’s Community Commission on
Reparations Remedies.

MARVIN SLAUGHTER, Masters in Public Policy (MPP)

Valuation and Policy Team Co-Lead

Marvin Slaughter Jr. is an applied policy researcher and the Senior Legislative Affairs
and Research Portfolio Manager at the University of Chicago Inclusive Economy Lab. He
manages projects in the college and career success portfolio focused on removing
barriers to early academic momentum, supporting students through holistic support
programming, evaluating the impact of financial aid on academic outcomes and
understanding the impact of college programming on labor market outcomes.

Slaughter is a published researcher on the topic of reparations and coauthor of “The
Cumulative Costs of Racism and the Bill for Black Reparations” with Dr. William Darity
and A. Kirsten Mullen in The Journal of Economic Perspectives. Marvin has also served

Page 18 | Truclusion Legislative Preliminary Report for Reparative Action Study
as the Chairman of the Illinois African Descent Citizens Reparations Commission and
has provided strategic direction for the commission’s research efforts.

Slaughter has participated in the United Nations Permanent Forum for People of African
Descent. He has provided expert consultation to the United Nations Office of the High
Commissioner for Human Rights. Slaughter has been a featured speaker at the National
Reparations Conference: Midwest and at the American Descendants of Slavery National
Reparations Summit. Slaughter’s voice in the reparations space has been featured on
WBEZ (an NPR affiliate), Chicago Tonight on PBS, NBC 5 Chicago, the Chicago Tribune,
and more. Slaughter has earned his Master's in Public Policy and Bachelor of Arts
degrees in Economics and Political Science.

ASHLEY GARDNER, Ph.D.

Principal Project Director; Research Team Lead

Dr. Ashley Gardner is an expert in discrimination research, especially the psychological,
sociological and spiritual aspects of discrimination. She has been a Subject Matter
Expert guest on more than a dozen podcasts, including subjects such as systemic
discriminatory mechanisms and blackballing. Dr. Gardner teaches undergraduate
courses in qualitative and quantitative research, and graduate-level advanced research
at Temple University.

Dr. Gardner has been the lead researcher for multiple national studies, as well as state-
wide and local projects in Washington State. Dr. Gardner earned her Ph.D. at the
University of Tennessee, Master of Arts at the University of Michigan and graduated
cum laude for her B.S. at Hampton University.

MICA ANDERS, MFA

Genealogy Team Lead

Mica L. Anders is a professional genealogist with over 20 years of experience in African
American genealogy. She has expertise in pre-1870 enslaved lineage verification across
all U.S. regions, including slave schedules, Freedmen's Bureau records, USCT military
files, probate records, and plantation documentation. As a descendant of U.S. chattel
slavery herself, Anders brings both professional skills and personal understanding to the
work of reconnecting families with their ancestors.

Mica is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG), Afro-American
Historical and Genealogical Society (AAHGS) and ProGen Study group graduate with
advanced training from multiple genealogical institutes (such as SLIG, MAAGI, GRIP,

Page 19 | Truclusion Legislative Preliminary Report for Reparative Action Study
IGHR). She is in demand nationally as a speaker on African American genealogical
research methodologies and research findings. Her client work spans the United States,
Canada, Jamaica and the United Kingdom with a focus on African American family
history.

Anders holds an MFA in Visual Art. Her thesis work focused on visual representations of
genealogical and historical narrative reconstruction through uncovering lost family
histories. She has completed advanced genealogy training through ProGen and multiple
institutes including SLIG, MAAGI, GRIP, and IGHR. She is a member of the Association
of Professional Genealogists (APG) and the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical
Society (AAHGS).

As the first-ever History Fellow at the Minnesota African American Heritage Museum
and Gallery, Anders led research on early African American communities in Southeast
Minnesota from before statehood through 1900. She conducted large-scale community
lineage projects, uncovering lost, overlooked and intentionally erased early Black history
in communities across the region, and developing trauma-informed approaches to
enslaved ancestry research. This work earned her the Minnesota Genealogical Society
Pioneer Award and helped document hidden histories across the upper Midwest.

Anders’ expertise extends beyond individual family research to community-wide projects
and policy advocacy. She has been an invited speaker at the Saint Paul Recovery Act
Community Reparations Commission, the Black Lives Matter Minnesota Reparations
Now conference and the Coming to the Table National Conference, where she
addresses African American genealogical research methods, hidden histories and how
genealogical verification can support reparations frameworks and racial healing efforts.
Her work combines the technical skills needed to verify family lines with the cultural
awareness and sensitivity required when working with descendants of enslaved people.

Anders has helped families across the United States, Canada, Jamaica and the United
Kingdom uncover their histories. She provides not just names and dates, but restored
dignity, healing and connection to family legacy. She is in demand nationally as a
speaker on African American genealogical research methodologies and research
findings, including Black Lives Matter, Minnesota Reparations Now, Coming to the Table
National Conference, Slave Dwelling Project Conference, Afro-American Historical and
Genealogical Society (AAHGS) National Conference and other reparations-focused
forums addressing methodologies for identifying descendants of enslaved individuals.

Page 20 | Truclusion Legislative Preliminary Report for Reparative Action Study
Appendix B: Published research
Dr. Craemer's most cited peer-reviewed reparations research includes:

Craemer, T. (2024). Implicit Black identification among white non-Hispanic respondents
and support for Black reparations. Oxford Review of Economic Policy, 40, 657–671.
https://doi.org/10.1093/oxrep/grae024.

Darity, W., Craemer, T., Ramey Berry, D., & Francis, D. V. (2024). Black reparations in
the United States, 2024: An introduction. RSF: The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of
the Social Sciences, 10(2), 1–28. https://www.jstor.org/stable/48775323.

Craemer, T. (2023). Forensic analysis of reparations to Africa for depredations under
European colonialism. In Richard F. America (ed.), Accounting for colonialism.
Measuring unjust enrichment and damages in Africa, Chapter 13 (pp. 253-293),
Palgrave Macmillan Cham / Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-32804-
6_13.

Craemer, T., Smith, T., Harrison, B., Logan, T., Bellamy, W., and Darity, W. (2020).
Wealth implications of slavery and racial discrimination for African American
descendants of the enslaved. Review of Black Political Economy, 47(3), 218-254.

Updated and reprinted 2023 in: Darity, W. A., Mullen, A. K., & Hubbard, L. (eds.): The
Black reparations project. University of California Press.

Craemer, T. (2018). Comparative Analysis of Reparations for the Holocaust and for the
Transatlantic Slave Trade. The Review of Black Political Economy, 45(4), 299-
324. https://doi.org/10.1177/0034644619836263.

Craemer, T. (2018). International reparations for slavery and the Slave Trade. Journal
of Black Studies, 49(7), 694-713.

Craemer, T. (2015). Estimating slavery reparations: Present value comparisons of
historical multigenerational reparations policies. Social Science Quarterly, 96(2), 639-
655.

Craemer, T. (2014). Implicit closeness to Blacks, support for affirmative action, slavery
reparations, and vote intentions for Barack Obama in the 2008 elections. Basic and
Applied Social Psychology, 36, 413-424.

Craemer, T. (2009a). Framing Reparations. The Policy Studies Journal, 37(2): 275-298.

Page 21 | Truclusion Legislative Preliminary Report for Reparative Action Study
Craemer, T. (2009b). Psychological ‘self-other overlap’ and support for slavery
reparations. Social Science Research, 38, 668–680.

Page 22 | Truclusion Legislative Preliminary Report for Reparative Action Study

File and source

File: 2026_reparations-leg-preliminary-report-final-7ae84408-5ed3-4d97-a563-8557b.pdf
Size: 414,292 bytes
SHA-256: ab358b412aa6e95353126267b5b3e67196dfcd3c31ba671a0ed469b160b4bcac
Our copy: 2026_reparations-leg-preliminary-report-final-7ae84408-5ed3-4d97-a563-8557b.pdf
Original: app.leg.wa.gov

Legislative Preliminary Report, June 2026

Summary

Cite this document

Full text

File and source

Related records