My feeling is reparations are made to survivors not descendents...and in a sense reparations have already been made through affirmative action legislation.
Affirmative action doesn't compensate anyone for any harm done to them prior to the passage of our current civil rights legislation. In short in codifies discriminatory hiring, firing, promotion, etc. practices in employment at the federal level and creates a private cause of action which the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has authority to investigate. In some of the most egregious cases the EEOC may bring suit on behalf of the complaintant. And contrary to popular belief it doesn't elevate "unqualifed" black people over "qualified" white people. In fact the law itself is race neutral. Companies were instructed to
"take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed, and that employees are treated during employment, without regard to their race, color, religion, sex or national origin.
White women have benefited more than any other group as a result of this legislation.