IV 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 940 

Recognizing the week of December 25, 2023, as the ‘‘Week of the Fight 

Against Black Slavery in the Americas’’. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 19, 2023 

Mr. ESPAILLAT submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the week of December 25, 2023, as the ‘‘Week 

of the Fight Against Black Slavery in the Americas’’. 

Whereas, on the 26th day of December 1521, the first historically recorded rebellion of enslaved African people 

took place in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; 

Whereas tragically there is no perspective of the rebellion 

from the slaves, however, it was described in detail in the 

Historia General y Natural de las Indias, by Gonzalo 

Ferna ́ndez de Oviedo; 

Whereas on the sugar plantation of Diego Colon, eldest son 

of Christopher Columbus and Viceroy of the Indies, approximately 20 African people who had been forcibly kidnapped and enslaved rebelled; 


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•HRES 940 IH 

Whereas those individuals, taking notice of the lowered guard 

of their kidnappers, conspired to free themselves on the 

second day of Christmas of the year 1521; 

Whereas after rising up and escaping their confinement, 

these 20 individuals were joined by many others, both African and Taino, in order to maintain their freedom; 

Whereas these individuals moved toward the mountains in the 

middle of the island, during which time they saw combat 

with the White kidnappers and farmers who tried to confine them again; 

Whereas after some time, the Spanish colonist killed or captured all those who had escaped, and thereafter created 

a series of ordinances that severely limited movement of 

freedom of the already enslaved peoples, and provided 

new mechanisms for keeping them from ever rebelling 

again; 

Whereas this set of ordinances, being one of the first of its 

kind, enforcing the economy of mass enslavement in the 

New World, has left an indelible and infamous mark on 

the history of the laws, not just of the Dominican Republic, but of this Nation as well; 

Whereas this early revolt of human beings against those who 

believed them to be property, was perhaps the first time 

in this hemisphere, after the first contact of Christopher 

Columbus, that the values that we extol in these United 

States, liberty and freedom, were manifested; and 

Whereas on the anniversary of such an impactful event, the 

fight for those values Africans and Taino rebels adamantly defended is ongoing, continued by their descendants and all freedom-loving people in these United States: 

Now, therefore, be it 


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•HRES 940 IH 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) recognizes the historical significance of the 

3 Week of the Anniversary of the 1521 Santo Do4 mingo Slave Revolt to the eventual abolition of slav5 ery; 

6 (2) supports the recognition of the Anniversary 

7 of the 1521 Santo Domingo Slave Revolt as an ever8 lasting symbol of heroic sacrifice and gallantry by 

9 the slaves being held against their will in Santo Do10 mingo; 

11 (3) acknowledges this revolt to be the first of 

12 many revolts that would occur for nearly four cen13 turies after the infamous events of December 26, 

14 1521; and 

15 (4) encourages the people of the United States 

16 to recognize the significance of this event, and com17 memorate this event by reflecting on, learning about, 

18 and sharing the story of the events of December 26, 

19 1521. 

Æ 


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