IV 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 480 

Recognizing the significance of National Caribbean American Heritage Month. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 7, 2023 

Ms. LEE of California (for herself, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Mrs. CHERFILUSMCCORMICK, Mrs. BEATTY, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. BOWMAN, Ms. NORTON, 

and Ms. CLARKE of New York) submitted the following resolution; which 

was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Accountability 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the significance of National Caribbean American 

Heritage Month. 

Whereas people of Caribbean heritage are found in every 

State of the Union; 

Whereas emigration from the Caribbean to the American 

colonies began as early as 1619 with the arrival of indentured workers in Jamestown, Virginia; 

Whereas, during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a significant number of slaves from the Caribbean were brought 

to the United States; 

Whereas millions of people have emigrated from the Caribbean to the United States; 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
2 

•HRES 480 IH 

Whereas the current population of people in the United 

States who were born in or have ancestry from the Caribbean is estimated at over 8,500,000; 

Whereas, like the United States, the countries of the Caribbean faced obstacles of slavery and colonialism and struggled for independence; 

Whereas, also like the United States, the people of the Caribbean have diverse racial, ethnic, cultural, and religious 

backgrounds; 

Whereas independence movements throughout the Caribbean 

and the consequential establishment of independent 

democratic countries in the Caribbean strengthened ties 

between the Caribbean and the United States; 

Whereas Alexander Hamilton, a Founding Father of the 

United States and the first Secretary of the Treasury, 

was born in the Caribbean; 

Whereas many influential Caribbean Americans have contributed to the rich history of the United States, including 

Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable, the pioneer settler of Chicago; Claude McKay, a poet of the Harlem Renaissance; 

James Weldon Johnson, the writer of the Black National 

Anthem; Celia Cruz, the world-renowned queen of Salsa 

music; Sylvia Winter, influential feminist, writer, and 

human rights activist; Cicely Tyson, legendary star of 

stage and screen; John Russworm, co-founder of Freedom’s Journal, the first Black-owned newspaper; Mervyn 

Dymally, the first African-American Lieutenant Governor 

of California and first Caribbean immigrant to serve in 

Congress, and Shirley Chisholm, the first African-American Congresswoman and first African-American woman 

candidate for President; 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
3 

•HRES 480 IH 

Whereas the many influential Caribbean Americans in the 

history of the United States also include Kamala Harris, 

the first African-American Vice President; Colin Powell, 

the first African-American Secretary of State; Eric Holder, the first African-American Attorney General; Karine 

Jean-Pierre, the first African-American White House 

Press Secretary; Patrick Gaspard, labor union organizer 

and social justice advocate; Lieutenant General Vincent 

Stewart, the first Black director of the Defense Intelligence Agency; Sandra Lindsay, a nurse in Queens, New 

York and the first person in the United States to receive 

a COVID–19 vaccine; Robert Rashford, an internationally known aerospace engineer and coinventor of the single person spacecraft; Harry Belafonte, a legendary musician, actor, and activist; and Sir Sydney Poitier, the first 

Black actor to win the Academy Award for Best Actor, 

film director, and diplomat; 

Whereas Caribbean Americans have played an active role in 

the civil rights movement and other social and political 

movements in the United States; 

Whereas Caribbean Americans have contributed to every aspect of our society, including greatly to the fine arts, education, business, literature, journalism, sports, fashion, 

politics, government, the military, music, science, medicine, engineering, technology, and other fields in the 

United States; 

Whereas Caribbean Americans share their culture through 

festivals, carnivals, music, dance, film, food, and literature, which enrich the cultural landscape of the 

United States; 

Whereas the countries of the Caribbean are important economic partners of the United States; 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
4 

•HRES 480 IH 

Whereas the members of the Caribbean diaspora contribute 

to prosperity in the United States and the sustainable 

economic development of the Caribbean, and for 30 years 

the Institute of Caribbean Studies has encouraged the 

community’s civic engagement through research, advocacy, education, and action; 

Whereas the countries of the Caribbean represent the United 

States third border; 

Whereas the people of the Caribbean share the hopes and aspirations of the people of the United States for peace and 

prosperity throughout the Western Hemisphere and the 

rest of the world; and 

Whereas, since the passage of H. Con. Res. 71 in the 109th 

Congress by both the Senate and the House of Representatives, a proclamation has been issued annually by 

the President declaring June National Caribbean American Heritage Month: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports the goals and ideals of Caribbean 

3 American Heritage Month; 

4 (2) encourages the people of the United States 

5 to observe Caribbean American Heritage Month with 

6 appropriate ceremonies, celebrations, and activities; 

7 and 

8 (3) affirms that— 

9 (A) the contributions of Caribbean Ameri10 cans are a significant part of the history, 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
5 

•HRES 480 IH 

1 progress, and heritage of the United States; 

2 and 

3 (B) the ethnic and racial diversity of the 

4 United States enriches and strengthens the Na5 tion. 

Æ 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS