Story highlights Earlier this week, Ta-Nehishi Coates, the author of the 2014 Atlantic article "The Case for Reparations," took Sanders to task for opposing reparations to black Americans who descended from slaves

"Sanders understands that African-Americans in this country have been victims of systematic and institutional racism," countered Sanders spokeswoman Symone D. Sanders

Washington (CNN) Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign on Thursday defended his record on fighting racism after being attacked by a prominent advocate of slavery reparations to African-Americans.

"Senator Sanders is the most progressive member of the United States Congress and has unabashedly advocated and promoted policies that overwhelmingly benefit the Black community," Sanders' National Press Secretary Symone D. Sanders told CNN.

"During this election, no other candidate has so boldly spoken out on the issues of race, police brutality, income inequality or criminal justice reform. Sen. Sanders understands that African-Americans in this country have been victims of systematic and institutional racism," she added. "He gets that and has proposed both legislation and policies in attempts to address it."

Earlier this week, Ta-Nehishi Coates, the author of the 2014 Atlantic article "The Case for Reparations," took Sanders to task for opposing reparations to black Americans who descended from slaves.

The Vermont senator called the proposal "very divisive."

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