[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 258 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 258

Recognizing the historical and educational significance of the Atlantic 
Freedom Tour of the Freedom Schooner Amistad, and expressing the sense 
   of the Senate that preserving the legacy of the Amistad story is 
     important in promoting multicultural dialogue, education, and 
                              cooperation.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 27, 2007

   Mr. Dodd (for himself and Mr. Lieberman) submitted the following 
    resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Recognizing the historical and educational significance of the Atlantic 
Freedom Tour of the Freedom Schooner Amistad, and expressing the sense 
   of the Senate that preserving the legacy of the Amistad story is 
     important in promoting multicultural dialogue, education, and 
                              cooperation.

Whereas the Slave Trade Act of the British Parliament in 1807 was the first 
        major legislation to abolish 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 captives were sold to Jose Ruiz and Pedro Montez of Spain, who 
        transferred them onto the coastal cargo schooner La Amistad;
Whereas, on the evening of the rebellion, La Amistad was secretly directed to 
        return west up the coast of North America, where after two months the 
        Africans were seized and arrested in New London, Connecticut;
Whereas the captives were jailed and awaited trial in New Haven, Connecticut;
Whereas the trial of the captives became historic when former President John 
        Quincy Adams argued on behalf of the enslaved 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 and the struggle for freedom and the restoration of 
        human dignity: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That--
            (1) the Senate recognizes the historical and educational 
        significance of the Atlantic Freedom Tour of the Freedom 
        Schooner Amistad;
            (2) the Senate encourages the people of the United States 
        to learn about the history of the United States and better 
        understand the experiences that have shaped this Nation; and
            (3) it is the sense of the Senate that preserving the 
        legacy of the Amistad should be regarded as a means in 
        fostering multicultural dialogue, education, and cooperation.
                                 <all>