Democratic lawmakers are trying to figure out ways to get payments restored to the families of Black service members, Associated Press Reported.  

This new initiative would allow surviving spouses and all living descendants of Black services members that fought in World War II, who were initially ineligible to collect benefits, to get the opportunity to establish wealth with housing and educational benefits through the GI Bill.  

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“This is an opportunity for America to repair an egregious fault,” said Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina who introduced the bill last week. “Hopefully it can also begin to lay a foundation that will help break the cycle of poverty among those people who are the descendants of those who made sacrifices to preserve this democracy.” 

During the 1940s, GI Bill benefits were available to veterans to help with transitioning into civilian life. However, racism and discrimination greatly affected how the benefits were distributed through local Veterans Affairs offices and as a result, most Black World War II veterans were awarded considerably less money toward buying a home or continuing their education.  

Sgt. Joseph Maddox, one of the World War II veterans that this new bill would be named after, was turned down by a local VA office for tuition assistance. At the time, Maddox was getting ready to attend Harvard for a master’s program.   

“When it came time to pay the bill, the government just said no,” said Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, who attended Harvard on the GI Bill. “It actually is pretty emotional for vets who have gone through this themselves and, like myself, know what a difference the GI Bill made in our lives.” 

Institutional racism and other barriers played a role in which Black veterans could access and use their benefits from serving their country. Black veterans’ cash equivalent for their benefits was only 40% of what white veterans were getting.  

“Because the GI benefits weren’t distributed more evenly among Black veterans, we lost an entire generation of Black wealth builders,” Dartmouth College Professor Matthew Delmont said. “After the war, we could have had even more doctors, lawyers, teachers and architects.” 

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