Sunny Hostin’s Remarks on Reparations and Historical Accountability
Sunny Hostin, co-host of The View, has voiced concerns about the political motivations behind congressional hearings on the Smithsonian Institution. Hostin suggests the discussions are linked to the Trump administration’s stance against granting reparations to descendants of slaves.
Dr. Anthea Hartig, Director of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, was questioned on Capitol Hill following a White House report. This report accused the museum of becoming an institution characterized by ideological bias and political activism.
Hostin expressed, “The real reason behind this is about financial repair to the descendants of enslaved Africans.”
She challenged the audience to consider how efforts by the Trump administration may aim to reshape historical narratives, potentially avoiding financial responsibilities to African Americans for the forced and unpaid labor that contributed to building the country.
Hostin emphasized the need for truth and reconciliation commissions akin to those addressing historical injustices, such as the internment of Japanese Americans, the Holocaust, and the treatment of Native Americans. Hostin argued, “You cannot have true reconciliation without the truth, and they’re trying to erase that truth.”
She cited the United Nations General Assembly’s vote labeling the transatlantic slave trade as “the gravest crime against humanity.” Countries like the U.S., Argentina, and Israel opposed the resolution. Hostin quoted U.S. Ambassador Dan Negrea, who stated that the U.S. does not recognize legal rights to reparations for historical acts that were not deemed illegal under international law at the time.
Hostin firmly believes the focus is on financial obligations, stating, “This is about this country trying to avoid paying African Americans our due.”
In a past appearance on PBS’s Finding Your Roots, Hostin learned she had an ancestor involved in slavery. This revelation shocked her, given her Puerto Rican and Black heritage. Hostin said, “Wow, I’m a little bit in shock. I always thought of myself as half Puerto Rican. I didn’t think my family was originally from Spain and slaveholders.”
Hostin found that her husband Manny’s family shares similar roots in Spain. She noted it is significant for their children to understand their family history, acknowledging that such historical realities exist.
Additionally, Hostin faced criticism for her recent comments feeling unsafe in neighborhoods with American flags.