Washington DC - Representative Ayanna Pressley has hailed the passage of a United Nations resolution declaring the transatlantic trafficking and enslavement of African people the "gravest crime against humanity" as a major victory for the reparations movement.

"The fight for reparative justice demands both moral clarity and transformational change – and this UN resolution marks an essential step in recognizing the inhumane enslavement of our African ancestors and addressing the systemic oppression of Black people," Pressley said in a statement.

"This resolution signifies international solidarity and a united conviction to build a more just world, accounting for and confronting the impact of slavery that has burdened generations of Black folks."

The UN General Assembly on Wednesday approved the resolution, led by the Republic of Ghana, on the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. The US, Israel, and Argentina were the only member states to vote against, while a number of European countries abstained.

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Pressley is lead sponsor of HR 40, legislation to establish a federal reparations commission for Black Americans to address the legacies of enslavement and racial discrimination. In February, she reintroduced the bill along with Cory Booker, lead sponsor of the Senate companion, S 40.

"Our movement for reparations – like my legislation, HR 40 – is a pathway toward truth, reconciliation, and accountability for the deep, structural injustices that continue to ravage Black communities," the Massachusetts Democrat said.

Pressley went on to denounce Ambassador Dan Negrea's rejection of the UN resolution on behalf of the US government.

Negrea described the text as "highly problematic," telling the General Assembly: "The United States also does not recognize a legal right to reparations for historical wrongs that were not illegal under international law at the time they occurred."

He added that Donald Trump "has done more for Black Americans than any other president and enjoyed historic support from the Black community in the 2024 election."

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Pressley countered, "Hiding behind the notion that there's no legal right to reparations just because slavery was once legal is morally bankrupt and historically inaccurate."

"Slavery was always a crime against humanity, no matter what the law said at the time, and its legacy is still harming Black communities today. That means we still have a responsibility to repair that harm," the congresswoman insisted.

"Justice delayed is justice denied, and we will not back down in our pursuit of healing and reparatory justice."