Actor Terrence Howard finds himself entangled in a legal battle with the IRS, ordered to pay nearly $1 million in back taxes, while making provocative statements about the morality of taxing descendants of slaves.
The 54-year-old, known for his roles in “Empire” and “Hustle & Flow,” faced the judgment in a Philadelphia court, where he has been accused of rejecting IRS attempts to collect $578,000 in income taxes spanning from 2010 to 2019.
Howard’s defiance didn’t stop there. Despite the Justice Department’s lawsuit against him in 2022, he allegedly evaded formal response, resorting to leaving a voicemail for the lead tax attorney, denying the owed funds and lambasting the government’s actions.
“Four hundred years of forced labor and never receiving any compensation for it,” Howard purportedly exclaimed in the voicemail. “Now you have the gall to try and prosecute and charge taxes to the descendants of a broken people that you are responsible for causing the breakage.”
His sentiments extend to a broader conversation about reparations. In a climate where calls for reparations gain momentum, Howard’s case serves as a flashpoint. Advocates argue that descendants of slaves are owed compensation for the unpaid labor of their ancestors, with some proposals reaching into the billions of dollars.
The debate has spurred action at various levels of government. Municipalities like Evanston, Illinois, have taken concrete steps, pledging millions of dollars over several years to Black residents as a form of reparations. Moreover, cities such as Boston, San Francisco, and New York have established task forces to examine their historical ties to slavery.
Even at the federal level, the issue of reparations is gaining traction, with lawmakers sponsoring resolutions that assert the United States has a “legal and moral obligation” to implement such measures.
Howard’s case illuminates the complexities of this debate. While his defiance may seem extreme to some, it underscores the deep-seated grievances and systemic injustices that continue to resonate in American society.
As Howard’s legal battle unfolds, it serves as a poignant reminder of the unfinished business of addressing historical wrongs and striving for financial justice in a nation still grappling with its past.