[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 522 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 522

Recognizing the historical and educational significance of the Freedom 
Schooner Amistad's 14-month 2007 Atlantic Freedom Tour, and expressing 
the sense of the House of Representatives that preserving the legacy of 
 the Amistad story is important in promoting multi-cultural dialogue, 
                      education, and cooperation.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 27, 2007

  Ms. DeLauro (for herself, Mr. Larson of Connecticut, Mr. Shays, Mr. 
   Murphy of Connecticut, and Mr. Courtney) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and 
                           Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Recognizing the historical and educational significance of the Freedom 
Schooner Amistad's 14-month 2007 Atlantic Freedom Tour, and expressing 
the sense of the House of Representatives that preserving the legacy of 
 the Amistad story is important in promoting multi-cultural dialogue, 
                      education, and cooperation.

Whereas the 1807 Act of the British Parliament was the first major initiative 
        that abolished the slave trade and began the march to end slavery;
Whereas, in 1839, 53 Africans were illegally kidnapped from Sierra Leone and 
        sold into the transatlantic slave trade;
Whereas the captives were brought to Havana, Cuba aboard the Portuguese vessel 
        Tecora, where they were fraudulently classified as native-born Cuban 
        slaves;
Whereas the African captives were sold to Spaniards Jose Ruiz and Pedro Montez, 
        who transferred them to the coastal cargo schooner, La Amistad;
Whereas the African captives, while being transferred from Havana, Cuba up the 
        coast in the Amistad, revolted after 3 days and ordered the schooner 
        head east back to their native Africa;
Whereas, on the evening of the rebellion, the Amistad was secretly directed back 
        west and up the coast of North America, where after 2 months the 
        Africans were seized and arrested in New London, Connecticut;
Whereas the captives were jailed and awaited trial in New Haven, Connecticut, 
        and the case became historic when former President John Quincy Adams 
        argued on behalf of the enslaved Africans before the United States 
        Supreme Court and won their freedom;
Whereas, in 2007, the Freedom Schooner Amistad will embark on its first 
        transatlantic voyage to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the abolition 
        of the transatlantic slave trade; and
Whereas the Amistad case represents an opportunity to call to public attention 
        the evils of slavery, the struggle for freedom, and the restoration of 
        human dignity: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved,  That--
            (1) the House of Representatives--
                    (A) recognizes the historical and educational 
                significance of the Freedom Schooner Amistad's Atlantic 
                Freedom Tour; and
                    (B) encourages the people of the United States to 
                learn about United States history and better understand 
                the experiences that have shaped the United States; and
            (2) it is the sense of the House of Representatives that 
        preserving the legacy of the Amistad should be regarded as a 
        means in fostering multi-cultural dialogue, education, and 
        cooperation.
                                 <all>