How much back pay does the USA owe its forced laborers (slaves)?

They owe more than can be repaid actually. The cost has been a culture of illiteracy, broken families, and hatred. No amount of money can make those things right. But for political reasons, something symbolic is needed to promote healing on all sides... representative of the USA's will to do the right thing... like the equivalent of 40 acres and a mule. If they can reopen a criminal cold case years after the original crime, they can reopen a civil cold case, years after the original dispute. This has happened before, and the proceeds were awarded to the decendents of the plantiffs named in the settlement.

Ok well, if you're not going to buy the iphone because of terrible conditions of workers and what not, then you mind as well stop purchasing anything with the "made in China/Asian country of choice" label on it, which is about, well, everything. If you think apple is the only company with workers in these conditions, you are mistaken. It's only because Apple is such a huge company and requires so many workers that you end up hearing about this stuff. Also, based on all the correct iPhone 5 leaks, they aren't the best at keeping information hidden. Honestly, I don't support this type of labor, and for other reasons i don't support Apple specifically, but I don't make i big enough effort to avoid it. If you feel fine buying other products made in China, I don't see why buying the iPhone would be any more or less sinful.

The overwhelming majority of the wealth that is now in the USA was created after the USA outlawed slavery, mostly by people who immigrated here after the USA outlawed slavery, are descended from slaves, or never had anything to do with the slave trade. There is enough money left over to keep platoons of lawyers rich arguing over who the plaintiffs and the miscreants are, but not enough to any one potential recipient to make it worth pursuing.

Well, I think some debt is owed. I also think it's impossible to discuss it in terms of paying cash to the descendants of slaves. I'd rather see more investment in social institutions like schools. I think that would do more to help struggling descendants than some random and finite amount of money.

If you believe this drivel..... then I recommend the original parties that sold the slaves into slavery be put on trial and charged the full amount.

That would be the Zulu Nation in Central/ South Africa which became the largest tribe in Africa during this timeframe by selling off the captured tribespeople of every tribe they conquered.

we do not have any slaves, so therefore we do not owe back pay.

Then again, slaves aren't paid so how would anyone owe a slave back pay? Restitution possibly.

As far as restitution, the US outlawed slavery in the 1860's so there are no slaves still around to collect.

ill say this, the day white people stop tellin me to get back to the cottonfield is the day i will stop sayin you guys owe me because of slavery

seriously though u owe me nothin u didnt enslave me so therefore u are not in debt of me

Millions!

if they were still alive, millions; but since they arent, white people shouldnt be punished for what they didnt do and black people should be rewarded for work they didnt perform.

nothing, we dont have to pay for the sins of our fathers.