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This is a huge topic that might be too much for the comments section, but if I were going to make an argument for reparations I would start with a timeline that looked something like this:
1600-1860's: Slavery
1860's-1960's: Jim Crow, Voter Tests, Lynching and other terrorism
1930's-1960's: Red lining, contract housing, separate but equal
1960's-present: Mass incarceration, minimum sentences, unequal prosecution, felon registry databases
All of these factors and more have had the consistent and cumulative effect of locking African Americans out of the vote, and primary avenues of wealth generation like home ownership. Just as important, it has crippled black family networks that protect people from adversity, and has an effect on future families.
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Ta Nehisi Coates created some waves on this subject his summer with his brilliant "Case For Reparations" article. It's long, but I would encourage people to read it for the concrete ways in which this country has kept African Americans away from opportunities we generally assume are available to all. http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2014/05/the-case-for-reparat...
McSweeney's also has a humorous (and very quick read) about the "Invisible Backpack" that is available to white people, and not to black. http://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/product-review-the-invisible-backpack...