III 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 293 

Celebrating the 10-year commemoration of the Underground Railroad Memorial, comprised of the Gateway to Freedom Monument in Detroit, Michigan, and the Tower of Freedom Monument in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

OCTOBER 13, 2011 

Mr. LEVIN (for himself, Ms. STABENOW, Mr. BROWN of Ohio, Mr. CASEY, and 

Mr. KERRY) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and 

agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Celebrating the 10-year commemoration of the Underground 

Railroad Memorial, comprised of the Gateway to Freedom Monument in Detroit, Michigan, and the Tower 

of Freedom Monument in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. 

Whereas millions of Africans and their descendants were 

enslaved in the United States and the American colonies 

from 1619 through 1865; 

Whereas Africans forced into slavery were unspeakably debased, humiliated, dehumanized, brutally torn from their 

families and loved ones, and subjected to the indignity of 

being stripped of their names and heritage; 


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•SRES 293 ATS 

Whereas tens of thousands of people of African descent silently escaped their chains to follow the perilous Underground Railroad northward towards freedom in Canada; 

Whereas the Detroit River played a central role for these passengers of the Underground Railroad on their way to 

freedom; 

Whereas, in October 2001, the City of Detroit, Michigan 

joined with Windsor and Essex County in Ontario, Canada to memorialize the courage of these freedom seekers 

with an international memorial to the Underground Railroad, comprising the Tower of Freedom Monument in 

Windsor and the Gateway to Freedom Monument in Detroit; 

Whereas the deep roots that slaves, refugees, and immigrants 

who reached Canada from the United States created in 

Canadian society remain as tributes to the determination 

of their descendants to safeguard the history of the 

struggles and endurance of their forebears; 

Whereas the observance of the 10-year commemoration of the 

Underground Railroad Memorial will be celebrated from 

October 19 through October 22, 2011; 

Whereas the International Underground Railroad Monument 

Tenth Anniversary Planning Committee is pursuing the 

designation of an International Freedom Corridor and 

the nomination of the historic Detroit River as an International World Heritage Site; 

Whereas the International Underground Railroad Monument 

Tenth Anniversary Planning Committee recognizes that a 

National Park Service special resources study may establish the national significance, suitability, and feasibility of 

an International Freedom Corridor; 


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•SRES 293 ATS 

Whereas the designation of an International Freedom Corridor would include the States of Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, 

Wisconsin, Missouri, Indiana, and Kentucky, the Detroit, 

Mississippi, and Ohio Rivers, which traverse portions of 

these States, and any other sites associated within this 

International Freedom Corridor; 

Whereas a cooperative international partnership project is 

dedicated to education and research with the goal of promoting cross-border understanding as well as economic 

development and cultural heritage tourism; 

Whereas, over the course of history, the United States has 

become a symbol of democracy and freedom around the 

world; and 

Whereas the legacy of African Americans is interwoven with 

the fabric of democracy and freedom in the United 

States: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate celebrates the 10-year com2 memoration of the Underground Railroad Memorial, com3 prised of the Gateway to Freedom Monument in Detroit, 

4 Michigan and the Tower of Freedom Monument in Wind5 sor, Ontario, Canada. 

Æ 


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