IV

106TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 356

Acknowledging the fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality, and inhumanity

of slavery in the United States and the 13 American colonies, and

for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JUNE 19, 2000

Mr. HALL of Ohio (for himself, Mr. BONIOR, Ms. CARSON, Mrs. CLAYTON,

Mr. COBURN, Mr. COSTELLO, Mr. JACKSON of Illinois, Ms. JACKSONLEE of Texas, Mr. JEFFERSON, Mrs. JONES of Ohio, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Ms. MCKINNEY, Mr. MCNULTY, Mr. MEEKS of New York, Mr.

RUSH, Mr. TRAFICANT, Mr. ENGEL, Ms. LEE, and Ms. KAPTUR) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the

Committee on Judiciary

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Acknowledging the fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality,

and inhumanity of slavery in the United States and

the 13 American colonies, and for other purposes.

Whereas approximately 4,000,000 Africans and their descendants were enslaved in the United States and the 13

American colonies in the period 1619 through 1865;

Whereas slavery was a grave injustice that caused and continues to cause African-Americans to suffer enormous

damages and losses, both material and intangible, including the loss of human dignity and liberty, the frustration
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of careers and professional lives, and the long-term loss

of income and opportunity;

Whereas slavery in the United States denied African-Americans the fruits of their own labor and was an immoral

and inhumane deprivation of life, liberty, the pursuit of

happiness, citizenship rights, and cultural heritage;

Whereas, although the achievements of African-Americans in

overcoming the evils of slavery stand as a source of tremendous inspiration, the successes of slaves and their descendants do not overwrite the failure of the Nation to

grant all Americans their birthright of equality and the

civil rights that safeguard freedom;

Whereas an apology is an important and necessary step in

the process of racial reconciliation, because a sincere

apology accompanied by an attempt at real restitution is

an important healing interaction;

Whereas a genuine apology may restore damaged relationships, whether they are between 2 people or between

groups of people;

Whereas African-American art, history, and culture reflects

experiences of slavery and freedom, and continued struggles for full recognition of citizenship and treatment with

human dignity, and there is inadequate presentation,

preservation, and recognition of the contributions of African-Americans within American society;

Whereas there is a great need for building institutions and

monuments to promote cultural understanding of African-American heritage and further enhance racial harmony; and

Whereas it is proper and timely for the Congress to recognize

June 19, 1865, the historic day when the last group of
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slaves were informed of their freedom, to acknowledge the

historic significance of the abolition of slavery, to express

deep regret to African-Americans, and to support reconciliation efforts: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That—

3 (1) the Congress—

4 (A) acknowledges the fundamental injus5 tice, cruelty, brutality, and inhumanity of slav6 ery in the United States and the 13 American

7 colonies;

8 (B) apologizes to African-Americans on be9 half of the people of the United States, for the

10 wrongs committed against their ancestors who

11 suffered as slaves;

12 (C) expresses condemnation of and repudi13 ates the gross and wanton excesses perpetrated

14 against African-Americans while the institution

15 of slavery existed;

16 (D) recognizes the Nation’s need to redress

17 these events;

18 (E) commends efforts of reconciliation ini19 tiated by organizations and individuals con20 cerned about civil rights and civil liberties and

21 calls for a national initiative of reconciliation

22 among the races; and
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1 (F) expresses commitment to rectify mis2 deeds of slavery done in the past and to dis3 courage the occurrence of human rights viola4 tions in the future; and

5 (2) it is the sense of the Congress that—

6 (A) a commission should be established—

7 (i) to examine the institution of slav8 ery, subsequent racial and economic dis9 crimination against African-Americans as

10 a matter of law and as a matter of fact,

11 and the impact of slavery and such dis12 crimination on living African-Americans;

13 (ii) to issue a standardized, historical

14 curriculum for use in public schools on the

15 institution of slavery in the United States;

16 and

17 (iii) to explore the possibility of estab18 lishing a scholarship and research fund;

19 and

20 (B) a National museum and memorial

21 should be established regarding slavery as it re22 lates to the history of the United States, and

23 other significant African-American history.

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