On May 2, 1969, civil rights activist James Forman interrupted a service at Riverside Church in Detroit to deliver the “Black Manifesto,” demanding $500 million in reparations from white churches and synagogues for their complicity in slavery and segregation. Forman, a former leader in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), framed the demand as a moral obligation rooted in historical justice. The manifesto sparked national debate and led to the formation of reparations task forces across the U.S. and abroad. Though controversial, the action brought renewed global attention to the issue of reparations, influencing policy discussions in Caribbean nations and later efforts by African Union member states. May 2 became a critical day in the history of economic justice advocacy for the African diaspora.