The master at work, as reported in the San Francisco Chronicle, April 25, 2002:

With a landmark state study on slave-era insurance policies about to be released, Gov. Gray Davis addressed the issue of possible reparations to California minorities yesterday, saying, "Clearly, we want to right any wrongs and do justice to people who were taken advantage of."

Davis made the comments while appearing with the Rev. Jesse Jackson at the Digital Connections Conference, a small business gathering organized by Jackson's Rainbow/PUSH Coalition in San Jose.

Jackson, at a news conference, said the California Department of Insurance study on slave-era insurance practices represented "a ground-breaking national issue." He said the findings, scheduled to be released Wednesday, might raise the possibility of reparations from private businesses owed to African Americans—and Californians of Chinese and Mexican descent....

Jackson, in an editorial board meeting at The Chronicle this week, said he would not expect reparations to be paid to individuals but to nonprofit groups, educational programs, arts facilities or other groups that help minorities.

†