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 his-
torically 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, ap-
proximately 20 African people who had been forcibly kid-
napped 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 Af-
rican 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 con-
fine them again; 
Whereas after some time, the Spanish colonist killed or cap-
tured 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 Repub-
lic, 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 ada-
mantly defended is ongoing, continued by their descend-
ants and all freedom-loving people in these United States: 
Now, therefore, be it 
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•HRES 940 IH 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) recognizes the historical significance of the 
Week of the Anniversary of the 1521 Santo Do-
mingo Slave Revolt to the eventual abolition of slav-
ery; 
(2) supports the recognition of the Anniversary 
of the 1521 Santo Domingo Slave Revolt as an ever-
lasting symbol of heroic sacrifice and gallantry by 
the slaves being held against their will in Santo Do-
mingo; 
(3) acknowledges this revolt to be the first of 
many revolts that would occur for nearly four cen-
turies after the infamous events of December 26, 
1521; and 
(4) encourages the people of the United States 
to recognize the significance of this event, and com-
memorate this event by reflecting on, learning about, 
and sharing the story of the events of December 26, 
1521. 
Æ 
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