Three Countries Voted Against Slavery Being a Crime Against Humanity. America Was One.

What did RiRi say? Lock in for a brand-new episode of Higher Education with Dr. BFran where today’s conversation turns bold ideas into necessary dialogue. Dr. BFran is joined by Drs. Mary Bassett and Jourdyn Lawrence for a powerful discussion on reparations for the Transatlantic Slave Trade and why public health must be part of the conversation. While reparations are often framed around wealth gaps and infrastructure, this episode explores another urgent question: What would reparations mean for Black health and survival? Together, they break down groundbreaking research showing how reparations payments could reduce premature mortality rates among Black Americans, unpack what a reparations package could actually look like, who would qualify, and who would be responsible for paying the debt owed. Through a transnational lens, they also examine what collective global action toward reparations could look like following the UN resolution declaring the Transatlantic Slave Trade one of the gravest crimes against humanity — and what it means that the United States was one of only three countries to vote against it. The conversation also explores how public health research is shaping the growing movement for reparative justice. From fiction to policy, from history to possibility, this episode pushes listeners to think deeper, question systems harder, and imagine a future grounded in racial health equity. Tap in, stay informed, and join the conversation because it’s not just about what we learn, it’s about what we’re willing to confront.