[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 487 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 487

 Recognizing Brown Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Selma, 
  Alabama, as a symbol of the struggle for and achievement of voting 
                     rights for African-Americans.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 22, 1996

  Mr. Hilliard (for himself, Miss Collins of Michigan, Mr. Flake, Ms. 
 Brown of Florida, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, Mr. Stokes, Ms. 
 Jackson-Lee of Texas, Mrs. Meek of Florida, Mr. Wynn, Mr. Rangel, Mr. 
 Payne of New Jersey, Mr. Conyers, Mr. Dixon, Mr. Fields of Louisiana, 
  Mr. Jackson of Illinois, Mr. Jefferson, Ms. Waters, Mr. Towns, Mr. 
Thompson, Mr. Owens, Mr. Clyburn, Mr. Hastings of Florida, Mr. Lewis of 
 Georgia, Mr. Scott, Mr. Ford, Mrs. Clayton, Mrs. Collins of Illinois, 
 Ms. Norton, Mr. Cummings, Mr. Rush, Mr. Fattah, Ms. McKinney, and Mr. 
 Bishop) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                         Committee on Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Recognizing Brown Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Selma, 
  Alabama, as a symbol of the struggle for and achievement of voting 
                     rights for African-Americans.

Whereas Brown Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Selma, Alabama, is a 
        historic site because of its use as a meeting place for many courageous 
        people who fought to secure the right to vote and other civil rights for 
        disenfranchised African-Americans;
Whereas in Brown Chapel on January 2, 1965, Martin Luther King, Jr. called for a 
        demonstration and proclaimed to a crowd of hundreds, ``We will seek to 
        arouse the Federal Government by marching by the thousands to the places 
        of registration...Give us the ballot'';
Whereas in 1965 Brown Chapel was a meeting place for hundreds of people before 
        the historic civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama;
Whereas in 1965 the civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, was 
        the impetus for Federal action to abolish the unconstitutional practice 
        of administering ``literacy tests'' to African-Americans for the sole 
        purpose of reducing the number of African-American voters so that there 
        existed little threat to segregation laws and practices; and
Whereas Brown Chapel has historic significance as a place where those fighting 
        for civil rights for African-Americans could meet, organize, worship, 
        and find refuge: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives recognizes Brown Chapel 
African Methodist Episcopal Church in Selma, Alabama, as a symbol of--
            (1) the struggle and sacrifice of many courageous people 
        who sought to secure civil rights for African-Americans; and
            (2) the successful effort to secure for African-Americans a 
        civil right fundamental to all Americans, yet difficult for 
        African-Americans to obtain--the right to vote.
                                 <all>