Wednesday, July 30, 2008

It’s Time for Congress to Issue an Apology for Slavery

July 29th, 2008
Today, the House of Representatives will consider
H.Res.194, an apology for slavery and Jim Crow which I
introduced in February 2007. This resolution, which is
cosponsored by more than ¼ of House members, acknowledges
the long and painful history of slavery in America and its
successor, Jim Crow. Moreover, Congress played an important
role, either through legislation or inaction, in sustaining
both of these noxious institutions. Several states and the
United Kingdom have expressed regret for their roles in
slavery or the transatlantic slave trade. Australia has
apologized to its Aborigines for the mistreatment they
received at the hands of the Australian government for much
of the last century. In light of these facts, it is long
past time for Congress to issue an apology for slavery and
Jim Crow, and I look forward to the House adopting this
historic measure later today.

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