Pennsylvania office would study slavery’s effects and help residents trace ancestry

Pennsylvania would have an Office of Freedmen Affairs within its executive branch. The office would examine historical claims and develop policies addressing slavery’s lasting effects. The governor would appoint the director and could remove that person. The office could accept federal grants, private donations, and legally authorized payments to recover costs. The act would take effect 60 days after becoming law.

The office would help residents trace ancestry, connect eligible residents with resources, and develop economic policy ideas. The policy work targets documented biological descendants of enslaved Africans in the United States or descendants of Black Americans or freed people emancipated before or after the Civil War. The bill calls for developing benefit proposals; it does not itself award housing aid, tax relief, or education benefits.

The office would research historical inequities, recommend policies to lawmakers each year, and hold public events. Research would cover state archives, land records, and early relief groups. Public engagement would include community discussions, educational forums, and public hearings involving affected people.