text: should restitution be paid to african americans...? whose lives were effected by the jim crow laws in the south?  before the civil rights movement,  the "separate but equal" farce provided inferior schooling and housing. not to mention separate water fountains, restrooms, and being forced to the back of the bus.  the kkk was allowed to run rampant, burning churches and lynching people with little to no fear of prosecution.    should the people who were treated this way be compensated? why or why not? tough question.  many native americans receive financial compensation, yet many are poor, uneducated drunks, and many get pregnant at a very young age. entering some reservations is like entering a third-world country.  restitution becomes a "handout" to those who don't know what to do with it. people in those communities who do know, soon swindle those who don't out of their share.  almost always, the poor will stay poor simply for making bad choices.  just like many lottery winners.  moral of the story: yes, compensate them, but require them to attend 4 years of finance and pass the classes using a standardized test before they can get any funds.