PIX11’s James Ford reports

NEWARK, N.J. — Because many people aren’t aware of northern states’ history of slavery, and because the descendants of those enslaved people have drastically less wealth now than white Americans, some legislators and activists in New Jersey are redoubling efforts to set up a reparations task force.

Bills have been introduced in both the state senate and the state assembly for the group to be organized.

Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter, a Democrat representing Bergen and Passaic counties, is the sponsor of the lower house bill.

She said that the task force would “put together a document that will define the impact of the inequities of slavery in New Jersey.”