•HRES 369 IH 
Whereas African immigrants from Cape Verde first came to 
the United States in the 1790s; 
Whereas the Cape Verdean immigrants arrived aboard New 
England whaling ships, which would often pick up crew-
men off the coast of Cape Verde in Africa and their de-
scendants include the legendary Lena Horne and sailors 
who fought in the Union Navy; 
Whereas in 1922, the United States Government restricted 
the immigration of peoples of color, greatly reducing 
Cape Verdean immigration; 
Whereas the new regulations also prevented Cape Verdean 
Americans from visiting Africa for fear of being denied 
re-entry into the United States; 
Whereas in the 1960s to 1970s, due to the more racially in-
clusive regulations of the Immigration and Nationality 
Act of 1965, more African immigrants from across the 
continent came to the United States primarily as stu-
dents; 
Whereas in the 1980s and 1990s, Africans in the United 
States were primarily refugees, who were fleeing hard-
ships from countries such as Ethiopia, Liberia, Sierra 
Leone, Somalia, and Sudan; 
Whereas in the 2000s, Africans in the United States were 
largely beneficiaries of the highly popular Department of 
State program known as the Diversity Visa Lottery Pro-
gram; 
Whereas much like the United States, the countries in Africa 
faced obstacles of in-country slavery and colonialism and 
struggled for independence; 
Whereas the independence movements in many countries in 
Africa during the 1960s and the consequential establish-
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•HRES 369 IH 
ment of independent democratic countries in Africa 
strengthened ties between the region and the United 
States; 
Whereas there have been many influential Americans of re-
cent African immigrant heritage in the history of the 
United States in academia, including Jem Spectar, 
Elfatih A.B. Eltahir, and Ahmed Zewail; 
Whereas there have been many achievements of Americans of 
recent African immigrant descent in sports, including 
Betty 
Okino, 
Yoakim 
Noah, 
Hakeem 
Olajuwon, 
Ndamukong Suh, Luc Mbah a Mboute, Freddy Adu, and 
Alfred Aboya; 
Whereas there have been many achievements of Americans of 
recent African immigrant descent in the arts, entertain-
ment, and fashion, including Akon, Charlize Theron, 
Dave Matthews, Djimon Hounsou, Karine Plantadit, 
Idris Elba, Wale, Anika Noni Ross, Iman, Kibonen Nfi, 
Oluchi, Bertini Wandja Heumegni, Liya Kebede, BeBe 
Zahara Benet, and Bertrand Fote; 
Whereas there have been many achievements of Americans of 
recent African immigrant descent in media, including 
Sade Baderinwa, Yves Bollanga, Lola Ogunnaike, Pamela 
Anchang, Celestin Ngoa, and Omoyele Sowore; 
Whereas there have been many achievements of Americans of 
recent African immigrant descent who are successful en-
trepreneurs, including Jessica Matthews, Kase Lukman 
Lawal, Christopher Che, Elon Musk, and Noah A. Sam-
ara; 
Whereas there have been many achievements of Americans of 
recent African immigrant descent in government, such as 
members of the Montgomery County Executive’s African 
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•HRES 369 IH 
Advisory Group (MD), Washington, DC, Mayor’s Com-
mission of African Affairs, the Newark Mayor’s African 
Commission (NJ), the Philadelphia Mayor’s African and 
Caribbean Commission (PA), the Bronx Borough Presi-
dent’s African Advisory Council (NY), Council Member 
Edoaurd Haba, and Judge Nina Ashenafi Richardson; 
Whereas there have been many achievements of Americans of 
recent African immigrant descent as African immigrant 
activists, including Tsehaye Teferra of Ethiopian Com-
munity and Development Center and Sylvie Bello of 
Cameroon American Council; 
Whereas Americans of recent African immigrant heritage 
have played an active role in the civil rights movement 
and other social and political movements in the United 
States; 
Whereas the 44th President of the United States, Barack 
Hussein Obama, is of Kenyan descent; 
Whereas the countries in Africa are important economic part-
ners of the United States; 
Whereas the people of Africa share the hopes and aspirations 
of the people of the United States for peace and pros-
perity throughout the world, but there remains much to 
be done to ensure that Americans of recent African immi-
grant heritage have access to resources and a voice in the 
United States Government and continue to advance in 
the political, social, and economic landscape of the United 
States; and 
Whereas celebrating ‘‘National Americans of African Immi-
grant Heritage Month’’ in September would provide the 
people of the United States with an opportunity to recog-
nize the achievements, contributions, and history of and 
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•HRES 369 IH 
to appreciate the challenges faced by Americans of recent 
African immigrant heritage: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep-
resentatives that— 
(1) a ‘‘National Americans of African Immi-
grant Heritage Month’’ should be established to cele-
brate the significant contributions of Americans of 
recent African Immigrant Heritage to the history of 
the United States; and 
(2) the people of the United States should ob-
serve the month with appropriate ceremonies, cele-
brations, and activities to recognize that Americans 
of recent African Immigrant Heritage enhance the 
rich diversity of and strengthen the United States. 
Æ 
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