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U.S. Congress Apologizes for Slavery
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by Karen Hatter | July 30, 2008 at 11:19 am
2226 views | 58 Recommendations | 18 comments
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The bill was first introduced in Congress by Congressman Steve Cohen (D) of Tennessee on February 22, 2007.
House Resolution 194 reads in part:
Whereas the system of de jure racial segregation known as `Jim Crow,' which arose in certain parts of the Nation following the Civil War to create separate and unequal societies for whites and African-Americans, was a direct result of the racism against persons of African descent engendered by slavery;
Whereas a century after the official end of slavery in America, Federal action was required during the 1960s to eliminate the dejure and defacto system of Jim Crow throughout parts of the Nation, though its vestiges still linger to this day;
Whereas African-Americans continue to suffer from the complex interplay between slavery and Jim Crow--long after both systems were formally abolished--through enormous damage and loss, both tangible and intangible, including the loss of human dignity, the frustration of careers and professional lives, and the long-term loss of income and opportunity;
Whereas the story of the enslavement and de jure segregation of African-Americans and the dehumanizing atrocities committed against them should not be purged from or minimized in the telling of American history;
Whereas on July 8, 2003, during a trip to Goree Island, Senegal, a former slave port, President George W. Bush acknowledged slavery's continuing legacy in American life and the need to confront that legacy when he stated that slavery `was . . . one of the greatest crimes of history . . . The racial bigotry fed by slavery did not end with slavery or with segregation. And many of the issues that still trouble America have roots in the bitter experience of other times. But however long the journey, our destiny is set: liberty and justice for all.';
The full text of House Resolution 194 can be found here.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (18)
at 12:36 on July 30th, 2008
Karen Hatter, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 14:15 on July 30th, 2008
Was the vote unanimous? .
at 14:30 on July 30th, 2008
Karen Hatter, I like this story. It's good stuff. Well spotted!
at 16:59 on July 30th, 2008
Karen Hatter, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 17:28 on July 30th, 2008
Karen Hatter, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 17:30 on July 30th, 2008
Karen Hatter, I like this story.
at 17:54 on July 30th, 2008
Hope springs eternal.
at 18:11 on July 30th, 2008
Karen Hatter, I like this story. It's good stuff. Took a while. Now what? I am already hearing on NPR that it's not enough or there is nothing we can do. If I remeber right America was asked to a say they were sorry. Karen, Your my online friend, but it's never going to be enough, we cannot replace what is lost. I believe, that peoples The Barclay should pay. Find out the ones who were part of this trade and get them. My family has no history of owning slaves. I think it is insulting to the Milliron family that we are lumped together with bigots. I think it is right, as a nation to Apologize, if I remember right President Clinton Apologised as well. Now The Senate and the Suprememe court needs to do the same. Then each Governor who had slavery in its states. But the bottom line is there is nothing we can do that can replace what was done.
at 18:46 on July 30th, 2008
Karen Hatter, I like this story. It's good stuff.
Does it help though or make a difference? I do not believe that any of those apologies do make a difference unless their are followed up by some concrete actions as well!
The Canadian Government apologised for a great many things, yet nothing ever came of it since not action nor change followed! And may that just be in the History text books of the Schools!
at 19:42 on July 30th, 2008
Karen Hatter, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 22:43 on July 30th, 2008
Karen Hatter, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 22:45 on July 30th, 2008
Karen Hatter, I like this story. It's good stuff.
And on behalf of my grandfather, who at age six, stood trembling with his mother, father, and brother in their front yard at the slave quarters while they were read the Emancipation Proclamation, I accept your apology. Well, that wasn't so hard Congressional Reps, was it? Next, please apologize for the century of racism our government participated in and endorsed. While others were free to go and stake a claim on this beautiful land called America, we could not. While others received fair wages for work, freed blacks did not. Many people of African descent are poor today because of deprivation of opportunities withheld prior to (and even after) affirmative action was instituted. My parents were as intelligent and willing to learn and work as I am, but they were deprived, and I grew up in poverty as a result. An apology for the years of economic racism that followed slavery is also in order, don't you agree?
Now with that piece of business out of the way, tell me, what do you plan to do about making restitution? You know, like the Jewish survivors of the Holocaust, the Native Americans, and the Japanese Americans who were incarcerated during WWII?
I know we're in an undeclared recession right now, and the 40 acres and mule may be off the table at this time. Although the welfare system with its Section 8, Medicaid, Foodstamp safety net has helped many people avoid homelessness and starvation and death from the lack of health insurance, it is inadequate compensation for centuries of enslavement, although it has served to sustain life for a vast number of African American children and adults while waiting on the system to CHANGE.
at 07:03 on July 31st, 2008
I also apologize for what my ancestors who share my DNA did against any group or person. Does everyone feel better? Now lets talk about the real goal, punishment which is MONEY! And who is paying...
at 21:49 on July 31st, 2008
Money works.
No one can control what their ancestors did or did not do. And while people are passing out blame for slavery, it might be prudent to consider that people of color were captured and sold to Europeans by other people of color in Africa. So there is enough blame to go around.
One thing I wish is that Hollywood would produce a movie that shows the heroic acts of many Caucasians who facilitated the Underground Railroad and supported the abolition of slavery openly or secretly by financial support. Some white families took great risk to shelter runaway slaves along the route to the North. It could be an exciting movie and give another side to the story if a movie were made featuring such a family. It reminds me of Diary of Ann Frank, the way some white families hid black runaways in their secret rooms and barns. If they had been discovered, it would not have been pretty for them, right?
I think it would be beneficial for young people, who might be less prone to read history, to know that racism has never been something practiced by ALL Caucasians. There were always human rights activists in every struggle for justice throughout time.
Mary
at 01:57 on August 2nd, 2008
More to the point, it would be useful if Hollywood made a film showing how black people fought hard for their freedom and rioted in many places. Why do we always assume it was us kind 'caring' white people who fought for the black slave? Its so patronising! And untrue!
at 08:57 on July 31st, 2008
whites and black should marry each other to produce offspring. this will be the real prove of forgiveness of slavery. politician than will not be able to rule easily cause then, divide and rule policy connot be adopted on colour lines. Politician may pick up on religion, or caste just like in india, people from country origin or may be DNA. BUt if people smart not to get in such trap, the politician will fail.
frederick dsouza. india/goa
at 10:36 on July 31st, 2008
whites and black should marry each other to produce offspring. this will be the real prove of forgiveness of slavery. politician than will not be able to rule easily cause then, divide and rule policy connot be adopted on colour lines. Politician may pick up on religion, or caste just like in india, people from country origin or may be DNA. BUt if people are smart not to get in such trap, the politician will fail.
frederick dsouza newyork origin mumbai
at 01:54 on August 2nd, 2008
Saying sorry for slavery is a bit like being in favour of world peace! Of course no one is against saying sorry but does it really mean anything? According to Christopher Caldwell at The Weekly Standard, the reason for the Democrat Steve Cohen's sponsoring the bill was to improve his slender majority in a 60 percent black district where most black voters don't really support him! Cladwell: "This vote..is reportedly the Democratic leadership's way of doing a favour for an imperilled incumbent - of letting Mr Cohen's consituents knows he cares about "black" issues as his rival". I would take this more seriously if it were a class action case for reparations!