[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 73 (Tuesday, June 9, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H4260-H4266]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NATIONAL UNDERGROUND RAILROAD NETWORK TO FREEDOM ACT OF 1998
Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 1635) to establish within the United States National Park
Service the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom program,
and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 1635
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``National Underground
Railroad Network to Freedom Act of 1998''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
(a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
(1) The Underground Railroad, which flourished from the end
of the 18th century to the end of the Civil War, was one of
the most significant expressions of the American civil rights
movement during its evolution over more than 3 centuries.
(2) The Underground Railroad bridged the divides of race,
religion, sectional differences, and nationality; spanned
State lines and international borders; and joined the
American ideals of liberty and freedom expressed in the
Declaration of Independence and the Constitution to the
extraordinary actions of ordinary men and women working in
common purpose to free a people.
(3) Pursuant to title VI of Public Law 101-628 (16 U.S.C.
1a-5 note; 104 Stat. 4495), the Underground Railroad Advisory
Committee conducted a study of the appropriate means of
establishing an enduring national commemorative Underground
Railroad program of education, example, reflection, and
reconciliation.
(4) The Underground Railroad Advisory Committee found
that--
(A) although a few elements of the Underground Railroad
story are represented in existing National Park Service units
and other sites, many sites are in imminent danger of being
lost or destroyed, and many important resource types are not
adequately represented and protected;
(B) there are many important sites which have high
potential for preservation and visitor use in 29 States, the
District of Columbia, and the Virgin Islands;
(C) no single site or route completely reflects and
characterizes the Underground Railroad, since its story and
associated resources involve networks and regions of the
country rather than individual sites and trails; and
(D) establishment of a variety of partnerships between the
Federal Government and other levels of government and the
private sector would be most appropriate for the protection
and interpretation of the Underground Railroad.
(5) The National Park Service can play a vital role in
facilitating the national commemoration of the Underground
Railroad.
(6) The story and significance of the Underground Railroad
can best engage the American people through a national
program of the National Park Service that links historic
buildings, structures, and sites; routes, geographic areas,
and corridors; interpretive centers, museums, and
institutions; and programs, activities, community projects,
exhibits, and multimedia materials, in a manner that is both
unified and flexible.
(b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are the following:
(1) To recognize the importance of the Underground
Railroad, the sacrifices made by those who used the
Underground Railroad in search of freedom from tyranny and
oppression, and the sacrifices made by the people who
helped them.
(2) To authorize the National Park Service to coordinate
and facilitate Federal and non-Federal activities to
commemorate, honor, and interpret the history of the
Underground Railroad, its significance as a crucial element
in the evolution of the national civil rights movement, and
its relevance in fostering the spirit of racial harmony and
national reconciliation.
SEC. 3. NATIONAL UNDERGROUND RAILROAD NETWORK TO FREEDOM
PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior (in this Act
referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall establish in the
National Park Service a program to be known as the ``National
Underground Railroad Network to Freedom'' (in this Act
referred to as the ``national network''). Under the program,
the Secretary shall--
(1) produce and disseminate appropriate educational
materials, such as handbooks, maps, interpretive guides, or
electronic information;
(2) enter into appropriate cooperative agreements and
memoranda of understanding to provide technical assistance
under subsection (c); and
(3) create and adopt an official, uniform symbol or device
for the national network and issue regulations for its use.
(b) Elements.--The national network shall encompass the
following elements:
(1) All units and programs of the National Park Service
determined by the Secretary to pertain to the Underground
Railroad.
(2) Other Federal, State, local, and privately owned
properties pertaining to the Underground Railroad that have a
verifiable connection to the Underground Railroad and that
are included on, or determined by the Secretary to be
eligible for inclusion on, the National Register of Historic
Places.
(3) Other governmental and nongovernmental facilities and
programs of an educational, research, or interpretive nature
that are directly related to the Underground Railroad.
(c) Cooperative Agreements and Memoranda of
Understanding.--To achieve the purposes of this Act and to
ensure effective coordination of the Federal and non-Federal
elements of the national network referred to in subsection
(b) with National Park Service units and programs, the
Secretary may enter into cooperative
[[Page H4261]]
agreements and memoranda of understanding with, and provide
technical assistance to--
(1) the heads of other Federal agencies, States,
localities, regional governmental bodies, and private
entities; and
(2) in cooperation with the Secretary of State, the
governments of Canada, Mexico, and any appropriate country in
the Caribbean.
(d) Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this Act not more than $500,000 for
each fiscal year. No amounts may be appropriated for the
purposes of this Act except to the Secretary for carrying out
the responsibilities of the Secretary as set forth in section
3(a).
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Utah (Mr. Hansen) and the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr.
Faleomavaega) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen).
Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
H.R. 1635, as amended, is a bill introduced by the gentleman from
Ohio (Mr. Stokes), my colleague. Mr. Stokes and the gentleman from Ohio
(Mr. Portman) are to be congratulated on working very hard on this bill
which would establish the National Underground Railroad Network to
Freedom Program within the National Park Service. This program
facilitates partnerships among the Federal, State and local governments
and the private sector to assist in interpreting and commemorating the
network of buildings, museums and routes that portray the movement to
resist slavery in the United States in the decades prior to the Civil
War. H.R. 1635 does not create any new units of the National Park
system and caps appropriation at 500,000 per year to staff and to
coordinate this program.
Commemorating the Underground Railroad Network, as H.R. 165 will do,
is well-deserved and will help every American understand what the
Underground Railroad was and how it helped thousands of slaves to
secure their freedom and their place in history.
Mr. Speaker, this is a completely bipartisan measure that is also
supported by the administration, and I urge my colleagues to support
H.R. 1635
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
(Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend
his remarks.)
Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, as a cosponsor of H.R. 1635, I
am pleased that this legislation has finally come to the floor of the
House of Representatives for consideration. Although it has been a long
and overdue process, I am happy to note that H.R. 1635 now has the
bipartisan support of 148 cosponsors.
This bill will establish a National Underground Railroad Network to
Freedom program within the National Park Service, to facilitate
partnerships among Federal, state and local governments and the private
sector to identify and commemorate the Underground Railroad.
This bill comes at a time when divisiveness among our Nation's races
and cultures seems to be on the rise. Through the program, structures,
routes, and sites which were significant to the Underground Railroad
will be identified. The National Park Service will create a logo to
identify these sites and distribute interpretive information for
visitors to understand the use of the Railroad.
The uplifting stories of the risks taken by all involved with the
Underground Railroad put against the stark reality of our past with
slavery, will provide visitors with powerful examples of the precious
value of freedom and the strengthen of cooperation.
Mr. Speaker, the Underground Railroad is probably the best example of
successful civil disobedience this nation has ever seen and the stories
must be told. I commend our colleague, Mr. Stokes, for all his hard
work on this legislation and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the
aisle to vote for H.R. 1635 so that this powerful story may be
preserved for generations to come.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I am proud that the House of
Representatives is finally considering legislation to honor the
Underground Railroad. This bill, H.R. 1635, introduced by our highly
respected colleague, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes), would
establish the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program
under the National Park Service. Mr. Stokes and my friend and
colleague, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman), worked together to
establish this program to identify sites and areas important to the
struggle for freedom known as the Underground Railroad. This bill is
without a doubt a long and overdue recognition of an important piece of
American history.
Mr. Speaker, the program will incorporate Underground Railroad routes
and sites with interpretive information about the railroad and the
people involved. The National Park Service will work in cooperation
with State and local governments and the private sector to develop a
comprehensive written history.
The Underground Railroad stretched for thousands of miles from
Kentucky and Virginia across Ohio and Indiana. In a northerly direction
it stretched from Maryland across Pennsylvania and through New York and
through New England. This was not just a route north though, and the
network this legislation establishes will link numerous locations and
landmarks within the United States as well the Caribbean, Mexico and
Canada.
It is estimated that in the decade before the Civil War, the
Underground Railroad movement was responsible for helping approximately
70,000 slaves escape and journey safely to freedom. Many never made it
to freedom, dying along the way or caught and forced to endure
unspeakable punishments and torture. Attempts made through the
Underground Railroad were made at tremendous risk for those fleeing
slavery and anyone who helped along the way.
The movement involved Americans of many different backgrounds.
Bringing its experience and lessons to bear on the present, it is
inherently a multiracial process. Each generically different experience
is grounded in race and personal wealth, but together they shared much
in this experience of the freedom story that transcended race and
echoed common commitments among fellow human beings.
Mr. Speaker, I wholeheartedly support the intention of this
legislation, but as I mentioned throughout consideration of this bill,
I am deeply concerned that a $500,000 authorization will not cover the
costs of this most important program. I understand that the majority
Members feel that this is all that would be acceptable to their
leadership, and therefore I will not fight it. But I would be remiss if
I did not raise my belief that it would be a terrible disservice to the
memory of the tens of thousands who suffered and braved so much to be
involved with the Underground Railroad if this Nation does not
adequately fund this important endeavor.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to pass this important legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes) and the
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman) worked diligently on this piece of
legislation, and I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr.
Portman).
Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding this
time to me and mostly for all the help he has given us to this point.
We would not be here this afternoon on the floor if not for the
subcommittee Chairman's willingness to hold a hearing and then mark up
this legislation, and I want him to know that both the gentleman from
Ohio (Mr. Stokes) and I greatly appreciate that and moving it through
the process.
I, of course, rise in very strong support of this historic
legislation that will help preserve this powerful and often untold
chapter in our Nation's history. I want to thank my colleague, the
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes), who is seated on the other side of
the aisle, for his leadership on this project. We have worked for the
last few years on putting this legislation together and making this a
reality. In addition to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen), I also
want to thank the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young), the gentleman from
California (Mr. Miller), and the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr.
Faleomavaega), who just spoke a moment ago, and the 150 other
bipartisan cosponsors of this legislation.
Specifically the bill does three things. First it creates within the
National Park Service a National Underground Railroad Network for the
first time of all the existing sites, historic buildings, interpretive
centers, research facilities, community projects
[[Page H4262]]
and activities directly related to the Underground Railroad. The
purpose is to commemorate and retell the future generations the
important story of the Underground Railroad. So much of what we know,
of course, about the Underground Railroad today has been handed down
through oral traditions, and over the years as a result, as a recent
Park Service study has told us, a lot of that tangible evidence is now
in danger of being lost forever. So this bill will help collect,
preserve and integrate all the pieces of this fascinating and important
part of our history.
Second, it will require the Park Service to produce and disseminate
educational materials, maps, handbooks, interpretive guides, electronic
information; enter into cooperative agreements to help technical
assistance facilities around the country that have a verifiable
connection to the Underground Railroad; and will create a uniform
official symbol for the national network and issue regulations for how
that symbol can be used.
Third, and I think very importantly, it requires appropriate public-
private partnerships so that we can facilitate strong private support
for this important part of our history. I think this is perhaps one of
the most significant parts of the legislation because it represents a
way for us to maximize and leverage the resources from the private
sector to enhance a national public network.
One brief example the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr.
Faleomavaega) talked about, the funding in the bill, there is some
funding in the bill, but in our own area of Cincinnati that I
represent, we hope to raise up to $80 million for a National Freedom
Center, which would be part of this linkage, and with those kinds of
private sector funds we can do much more with regard to commemorating
this part of our history.
The legislation, I think, really can foster a sense of racial
harmony, and just as the Underground Railroad itself bridged a divide
of race and religion and nationality, joined people together in common
purpose, so has this bill. The powerful and largely untold stories of
the brave men and women of the Underground Railroad can inspire us even
today, and must, about racial cooperation, about reconciliation, about
determination and about courage. In a very real sense this act, I
think, is a tangible effort that is bringing together people of
different races today that helps to advance our ongoing national
dialogue we must have about race relations in this great country.
Like so many other people in this Chamber and around this country, I
have a personal connection to the Underground Railroad. I knew about it
before this project got started, but I learned a lot more about it. The
family home of my namesake and grandfather, whose name was Robert
Jones, was a stop on the railroad. His great-grandparents and
grandparents were Quakers and abolitionists who lived in a farmhouse
near West Milton, Ohio, just north of Dayton. In fact, I visited their
home a couple of weeks ago with my family and was able to show my three
children the attic above the kitchen where my grandfather told me that,
in fact, slaves were harbored as they sought freedom.
Many of the prominent figures of the Underground Railroad, it turns
out, lived and worked in the district I represent. Levi Coffin,
considered by many to be the president of Underground Railroad, worked
for most of the time out of Cincinnati, also a Quaker. Harriet Beecher
Stowe was a native of Cincinnati who wrote portions of Uncle Tom's
Cabin, which helped in Cincinnati, and of course that book help
galvanize antislavery forces in the 1850s and 1860s.
John Parker of Ripley, Ohio, in my district was a former slave who
bought his freedom, was a successful inventor and foundry owner and
entrepreneur, and became a major conductor on the Underground Railroad.
We are now trying to restore his home in Ripley, Ohio.
The Reverend John Rankin, also of Ripley, sheltered over a thousand
people fleeing slavery. His home is restored. It is a site that sits on
the hill above Ripley, Ohio, and one of the people who he saved was the
character of Eliza actually in Uncle Tom's Cabin.
Another town in my district, Springboro, Ohio, has a number of
stations, they think 15 or 16 stops, on the Underground Railroad, and
they are now doing more work to uncover and authenticate those sites.
One of the very exciting aspects of this bill is its encouragement of
public-private partnerships. In the greater Cincinnati region I
represent, a national Underground Railroad Freedom Center, which
expects to raise about, as I said, $70 million of private sector money,
has been started. The freedom center is expected to open in the year
2003 on the banks of the Ohio River, an appropriate place, the dividing
line between free and slave States. It will employ state-of-the-art
technology and advance interdisciplinary education to commemorate,
educate, and inspire and promote reconciliation, assisted by a national
advisory board of distinguished leaders in their number. I will just
list a few: Desmond Tutu; Rosa Parks; Dick Cheney, a former Member of
this Chamber, and others.
This center will be an international resource for scholarship, human
relations education and genealogical study. It will be one of the first
distributive museums around the country, meaning it will be in contact
with this linkage that we are setting up through this legislation, the
networking, and it will also be the first major museum focused
exclusively on the Underground Railroad experience. The center will
create cooperative programming and educational opportunities across the
continent. It has already attracted substantial private sector support,
and again it should be a critical and leading link in the network
envisioned by the legislation.
I would like to give special thanks today to a friend and a fellow
Cincinnatian, Ed Rigaud, who is leading that effort in Cincinnati and
has taught me a lot about the national significance of the Underground
Railroad. Also, Iantha Gantt-Wright is with the National Parks and
Conservation Association, and that group has worked with the gentleman
from Ohio (Mr. Stokes) and myself over the last couple of years, gave
us a lot of input in the process of putting together the legislation.
{time} 1600
Finally, I want to single out Jan Oliver of my staff and the staff of
the House Committee on Resources for all their good work on the
legislation. I urge bipartisan support of this important and I think
landmark legislation, to preserve the story of the Underground
Railroad, the lessons of which can guide us in our quest for racial
cooperation and understanding even today.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I certainly want to compliment the
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman), the cosponsor of this legislation,
for his eloquent remarks.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr.
Brown).
Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from American Samoa
for yielding me time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1635, the National Underground
Railroad Network to Freedom Act of 1998. As an original cosponsor, I am
pleased the House is considering this important legislation today.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to talk about the
important role that Oberlin, Ohio in my district played in this
struggle for freedom. Oberlin is probably best known as the site of an
historic uprising in which 300 residents of Oberlin and neighboring
Wellington rescued John Price, an escaped slave from Kentucky, from
arrest by a determined group of slave catchers led by a U.S. marshal in
September 1858. This incident drew international attention to the
plight of American slaves, contributing to an increasing awareness of
the abolitionist movement. The participants in the rescue included
students, freed slaves and townspeople of all classes. The open
defiance of the residents of Oberlin led to the nickname ``The town
that started the Civil War.''
In April, I was pleased to join Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt in
Oberlin to designate the Wilson Bruce Evans House as a National
Historic Landmark which was home to Wilson and Henry Evans, two of the
leaders in this historic uprising.
Additionally, the City of Oberlin is home to several other sites
which played prominent roles in the Underground Railroad movement.
First
[[Page H4263]]
Church in Oberlin served as a meeting site for the Oberlin Anti-Slavery
Society.
Erected in Martin Luther King Park are several monuments, including a
memorial to the three African-American men, Shields Green, John
Copeland and Lewis Sheridan Leary, who died with John Brown during his
march on Harper's Ferry, Virginia, which served as a prelude to the
Civil War. Additionally, several other homes of prominent
abolitionists, including James Monroe and John Mercer Langston, still
stand in Oberlin.
Mr. Speaker, we must ensure that future generations learn about the
role that brave and righteous women and men in communities like Oberlin
played in establishing and running the Underground Railroad and how
their actions led to the end of slavery in the United States and the
beginning of the civil rights movement.
Mr. Speaker, I add my support to H.R. 1635, thanking especially the
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr.
Stokes) for their leadership.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from Ohio, (Mr. Stokes), a cosponsor of this legislation.
Mr. STOKES. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the distinguished ranking
member, the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega), for
yielding me time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1635, the National Underground
Railroad Network to Freedom Act. I am proud to share authorship of this
legislation with my friend and colleague, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr.
Portman). It has been a pleasure to work with him and his able staff in
bringing this historic legislation to the floor.
I want to express my appreciation to the chairman of the full
committee, the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young), for his support and
interest in this legislation. I also wanted to thank my good friend,
the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen), chairman of the subcommittee, for
his cooperation in conducting an excellent and outstanding hearing on
this legislation and for also marking it up in the subcommittee.
Since its introduction, the Underground Railroad bill has enjoyed
broad bipartisan support. We are pleased to bring this bill to the
floor with 156 cosponsors from both sides of the aisle and
congressional districts across America. I must also acknowledge the
significant role that the National Park Service provided in working
with me and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman) at all stages of this
legislative process. Their assistance has been invaluable.
Mr. Speaker, second only to the protests and martyrdom of
abolitionists, the Underground Railroad was the most dramatic protest
against slavery in the history of America. The Underground Railroad,
which reached its peak from 1830 to 1865, spanned more than 22 States,
crossed the Mexican and Canadian borders, and thrived in the District
of Columbia and the Caribbean. The railways were back roads, waterways,
mountains, forests and swamps. Its conveyances were mules, wagons and
boats. In short, the railroad was every route escaped slaves took or
attempted to take to freedom.
Last year when we introduced the National Underground Network to
Freedom Act, we did so in memory of the contributions made by our
ancestors, black and white, Quaker and Protestant, Native American and
many others who played key roles in the quest of American slaves for
freedom. As we debate this issue today, we realize that regardless of
whether we trace our ancestry to those who were enslaved, those who
were slave owners, or those who were abolitionists and freedom
fighters, the Underground Railroad bill will allow us to engage in
constructive dialogue and memorialize an important period in American
history.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to have authored, along with the gentleman
from Ohio (Mr. Portman), this significant legislation, which will
enable the National Park Service to identify routes, geographic areas
and corridors associated with the Underground Railroad. The Park
Service will also be charged with linking historic buildings and
structures relating to the Underground Railroad. Lastly, the National
Park Service will provide technical assistance and support to museums,
institutions and centers to facilitate the telling of the story of the
Underground Railroad.
This bill also encourages the Secretary of the Interior to enter into
cooperative agreements with the governments of Canada, Mexico and
appropriate countries in the Caribbean.
Mr. Speaker, before closing, I want to commend two members of my
staff for their work on this bill, Joyce Larkin and Minnie Kenney.
Their service has been outstanding.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1635 is a good bill that each of us should be proud
to support. I urge my colleagues to vote in its favor.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio for
his most comprehensive and eloquent remarks concerning this
legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my good friend, the gentleman from
Maine (Mr. Allen).
Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a cosponsor and supporter of H.R. 1635,
the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Act. The act has
156 cosponsors and enjoys substantial bipartisan support. The act
requires the Secretary of the Interior to establish a nationwide
network of historic sites and museums dedicated to preserving the
legacy of the Underground Railroad.
Mr. Speaker, the Underground Railroad was used during the 18th and
first half of the 19th century to smuggle African-American slaves to
freedom. Maine's citizens were active participants in the Underground
Railroad. There are 59 possible Underground Railroad sites across the
State of Maine. These safe havens were used to harbor runaway slaves
and are located in or near towns like Portland, Biddeford,
Kennebunkport, Machias, and Waterboro.
In particular, the Abyssian Meetinghouse in Portland was an important
link in the Underground Railroad. Oral history verifies that the site
functioned as a way station for slaves on their way to freedom.
Oral history is a useful tool to help determine what buildings were
part of the Underground Railroad. Someone's grandmother may remember
hearing stories about how slaves were hidden in the town church.
Organizations in Maine are working to recover these oral histories in
order to identify additional Underground Railroad sites. As people age
and die, the stories and information they carry with them die as well.
The National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Act will ensure
the preservation of this aspect of American history so that future
generations can learn and benefit from it.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud that Maine people were an important part of
the national effort to help slaves attain their freedom. Maine served
as a final link between the United States and freedom in Canada. The
people that comprised the Underground Railroad were motivated by the
principles on which our Nation's democracy rests, that all men and all
women are created free and equal.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman
from Michigan (Mr. Bonior), the distinguished minority whip.
Mr. BONIOR. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding me time
and for the support.
Mr. Speaker, I want to take this time also to congratulate the
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr.
Portman) on bringing this legislation to the floor. I also want to
thank the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen) and the gentleman from
Alaska (Mr. Young) for being cooperative and supportive of this piece
of legislation in the committee.
My interest, Mr. Speaker, on this issue revolves around the great
history and the struggle that is part of the Underground Railroad and
the cooperation to make it happen, but also because I have in my
district a place called the Spring Hill Farm. It is located in Shelby
Township, and from 1850 to 1865 this farm served as a place where
runaway slaves could come and get shelter.
This was out in the middle of the country. The slaves would see this
[[Page H4264]]
huge cedar tree, over 100 feet tall. They would know that the spring-
in-the-hill cave on this farm was a place where they could get refuge.
They would go there, and within the cave by the spring in the hill
would be food and blankets and necessities to keep them going on their
journey. The farm was owned by Peter and Sarah Lerich. They had 10
children, and they were able to even keep the secrecy of this facility
from their children for many, many, many, many years.
The significance of this particular farm revolves around a couple of
things. Number one, the owners and their agents trying to intercept the
slaves would often go to the Detroit River, thinking the slaves would
cross over to Windsor. But what actually was happening, they would go
to this farm and then move up throughout my county of Macomb and into
Saint Clair County and cross up at the Saint Clair River into Canada,
which was 30 or 40 miles north of the Detroit crossing, thereby
avoiding the agents and owners.
Interestingly enough, this farm was purchased by the late and great
humanitarian and heavyweight boxer, Joe Louis, years later in my
district, before he sold the property. It is a wonderful memorial to
bravery and to cooperation and to reconciliation.
The Underground Railroad is a story of great courage and
determination and the struggle for freedom in this country. It is an
American story, but it is a universal story in its relevance. It
teaches us the important lessons about liberty, understanding,
cooperation and reconciliation.
So it is with great pride that I rise this afternoon to support this
wonderful idea, so that we can memorialize and understand and pass on
to our children and our grandchildren the great struggle that ensued in
this country, so that they will never, ever forget the sacrifices that
were made and, of course, the cooperation and help that was given.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished
gentlewoman from the U.S. Virgin Islands (Ms. Christian-Green).
Ms. CHRISTIAN-GREEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding
me time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today, delighted that we finally have the
opportunity to consider this bill on the floor of the House. I am
especially pleased because H.R. 1635 is a fitting tribute to its
sponsor, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes), and I am honored to be
among the 156 Members of the House who have joined our esteemed
colleagues, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes) and the gentleman from
Ohio (Mr. Portman) as cosponsors.
Mr. Speaker, the Underground Railroad network is an important part of
our Nation's diverse history and deserves to be celebrated. I am
particularly pleased to note that the borders of the network went
beyond the North American Continent to the Caribbean. I trust that when
the program which will be established by this bill is completed, it
will include the escape routes to freedom which my ancestors from the
Virgin Islands used to nearby Puerto Rico.
I urge all of my colleagues to unanimously support this bill. Because
of H.R. 1635, we will come to know the many heretofore nameless
individuals and groups who made the Underground Railroad route come
alive and the traditions that created its culture. As we continue the
ongoing national dialogue on race and its impact on our past, present
and future, the memorializing of this testament to the courage and
sacrifice of many people of all persuasions and to the spirit, strength
and determination of the Africans who had been forced into brutal
slavery will be an important legacy.
The Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program will have an
unlimited potential to be a part of the education process in our
country, and it will also be a source to further inspire and promote
the healing of our diverse community, as well as serve as a source of
strength, direction and hope for our children. I urge its passage.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).
{time} 1615
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I could not help but listen to
the passion and compassion of the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman) for
this very important bill, and we thank him not only for his
collaboration but the history of his family. He has joined with someone
that we hold in such high respect, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr.
Stokes).
We know that the gentleman will not be in the Congress in the next
session, but we are gratified of his vision and his ability to
collaborate and to represent, as the Portman and Stokes H.R. 1635 I
hope passes unanimously in this House, what America is all about.
The Underground Railroad should be commemorated and celebrated, for
it is the recognition of what volunteerism in the face of adversity can
bring about. It did not single out any culture or race, any religion.
Everyone who was concerned about the degradation and the tragedy in
this Nation were able to participate. Up south, north, down south,
south, all parts of this Nation could in some way contribute either in
spirit or in actuality.
I am proud of the many midwestern States and cities whose people rose
to the occasion; the Eastern Seaboard who, along that route, that was
not pretty and attractive and well focused. There were no nice railroad
beds. There was no stopping for refreshments, where you would stop in
some lovely train station. It was, in fact, the Underground Railroad,
unpleasant, but yet spirited.
Harriet Tubman, who was called General Moses, had her own way of
taking tickets, for if you felt a little fearful and were about to turn
around, the story tells us that Harriet Tubman had a way of saying,
``if you turn around, you will not live; if you go forward, you can go
and live with me.''
So this was a challenging time. But the most important aspect of this
whole Underground Railroad was a collaboration of Americans, people who
came together for good, who did not ask of your background, who did not
ask what color you were, but believed in freedom, and believed that
this country would be better when slavery was eliminated and helped
those who wanted to seek freedom, to work for freedom to be able to go
safely into the night and to go into the free North.
So I want to thank the cosponsors of this legislation and
particularly would like to acknowledge those who did not survive, all
of those heroes and sheros who provided the food and the support that
we may not even have in our history books, all the religious leaders.
In Philadelphia, in fact, the AME Church was noted as one that took
in the freed slaves from the Underground Railroad, providing them with
clothes, food, and support and providing them work. Everyone who became
free wanted to work, wanted to contribute to America, wanted to make it
better and great. So this is befitting.
We thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman) and the gentleman from
Ohio (Mr. Stokes) for their vision on this. To those who are not here
to hear their stories being told in the United States Congress, you are
great Americans, you are great heroes and sheros; and for this, we
salute you. The National Underground Network to Freedom Act will
forever put in the annals to history our tribute to the Underground
Railroad.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, how much time do I have remaining?
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Stearns). The gentleman from American
Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega) has 1 minute remaining.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask my good friend,
the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen) if I could indulge in his
acceptance of my request for 2 additional minutes from his time.
Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I am happy to yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from American Samoa or to one of his speakers.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. I thank the gentleman.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentleman from
American Samoa is recognized for an additional 2 minutes.
There was no objection.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters).
Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to speak today on this bill,
[[Page H4265]]
H.R. 1635. This bill requests the National Park Service, number one, to
produce and disseminate appropriate educational materials to inform
people about the Underground Railroad, provide technical assistance to
the Underground Railroad Partnership, which includes individuals,
Federal, State, and local governments, and the private sector to ensure
coordination.
Thirdly, to create and adopt a symbol to be placed at all sites
designated along the network known as the Underground Railroad.
During perhaps the worst period in American history, the Underground
Railroad emerged, an important historic coalition of black and white,
religious and concerned citizens joined together to form the
abolitionists movement.
Many of the people involved in the Underground Railroad were called
conductors. Many of them were former slaves. The conductors led other
slaves out of bondage to freedom.
They developed their own terminology to protect those persons
involved in helping to secure freedom as well as the slaves. The slaves
were known as packages or freight. The route from one safehouse to the
next was called the line. The safehouses were called stations. Those
who aided the fugitive slaves were conductors.
The most famous of these conductors was Harriet Tubman. It is said
that she personally conducted approximately 300 persons to freedom in
the North. Reportedly, she even threatened to shoot any of her charges
who wanted to turn back. She felt that moving forward or death was the
only way to keep the locations of the stations secret.
Without fear for her personal safety, Harriet Tubman would disappear
for weeks at a time to provide safety for her passengers on the
Underground Railroad. She did so even though she was hunted by
slaveholders and slave hunters.
Harriet Tubman worked closely with abolitionists such as John Brown
and Germain Logan, Frederick Douglas, and countless other named and
unnamed Underground Railroad supporters.
After the outbreak of the Civil War, Harriet Tubman also served as a
soldier, a spy, and a nurse. During the war, with her keen knowledge of
the route from the south to Canada, she served as a guide to many black
soldiers.
The importance of our debate here today is to begin a coordinated
effort to mark some of the many sites along the route of the
Underground Railroad for generations to come. The work of assisting
fugitive slaves along the Underground Railroad is a critical piece of
our collective history.
Before the Civil War, it is estimated that approximately 70,000
slaves escaped and made the journey safely to northern States and
Canada and subsequent freedom through the Underground Railroad.
It is my hope that the designation of the sites along the Underground
Railroad, along with the educational programs and information that
follows, will allow Americans of all walks of life to understand the
important contribution to the history of the Underground Railroad.
I would like to thank my colleague, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr.
Stokes) and everybody that has been involved in making this a
possibility.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask my good friend,
the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen) for 1 additional minute.
Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
American Samoa.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentleman from
American Samoa is yielded 1 additional minute.
There was no objection.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I would just like to say again to the eloquence of my two good
friends as cosponsors of this legislation, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr.
Portman) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes) for bringing this
piece of legislation to the floor for consideration and to commend them
both for the spirit of bipartisanship that we have this legislation,
understanding the spirit behind it, the intention. Hopefully this will
be one of those remarkable pieces of history that will be helpful not
only for our generation but for future generations to appreciate what
these people did as they participated in the Underground Railroad
system.
Mr. Speaker, I also would like to say my personal tribute to my good
friend and colleague who has certainly been an inspiration to me over
the years that I have served in the House, my good friend, the
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes), who will not be here since he is
retiring, but just to let him know how much we really appreciate the
service that he has rendered, not only to this body, to his district,
and certainly to the American people.
Ms. CHRISTIAN-GREEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today delighted, that we
finally have the opportunity to consider this bill on the floor of the
House, and I am honored to be among the 150 members of the House who
have joined our esteemed colleague, Mr. Stokes and Mr. Postman, as
cosponsors.
Since he has announced that he will be leaving us when his team
expires at the end of the Congress, it would be a fitting tribute for
this House which Congressman Stokes has served so admirably, to pass
H.R. 1635 unanimously.
I want to personally take this opportunity to publicly thank
Congressman Stokes for taking me under his wing, as he has done for
countless other new members, and guiding me through the complexities of
this body, and to commend him for his leadership, not only on this
issue before us today, but especially on health care and other matters
importantly to the integrity of the Nation.
My colleagues H.R. 1635 is the result a Congressional study, mandated
in 1990, which required the National Park Service to look at how best
to interpret and commemorate the Underground Railroad. The bill before
us would establish a program in the National Park Service to be known
as the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.
Once established, the Secretary of Interior will produce and
disseminate educational materials about the railroad and provide
technical assistance to other governmental agencies, private entities
or Governments of Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean to ensure
coordination of the network.
As my district is located in the Caribbean, I am particularly pleased
to note that the borders of the network will extend beyond the North
American continent to the Caribbean.
I trust when the program which will be established by this bill is
completed, it will include the escape routes to freedom which my
ancestors used from the Virgin Islands to nearby Puerto Rico.
My colleagues the Underground Railroad Network is an important part
of our nation's diverse history and deserves to be celebrated.
As we continue with the ongoing national dialog on race and its
impact on our past, present and future, the memorializing of this
testament to the courage and sacrifice of many people of all
persuasions, and to the spirit, strength and determination of the
Africans who had been forced into brutal slavery, will be an important
legacy.
I urge all of my colleagues to unanimously support this bill. Because
of H.R. 1635 we will come to know the many heretofore nameless
individuals and groups who made the Underground Railroad route come
alive and the traditions which created its culture.
In addition, The Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Network
Program will have the unlimited potential to be a part of the education
process in our country and to further inspire and promote the healing
of our diverse community, as well as serve as a source of strength,
direction and hope for our children.
Mr. POSHARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to register my strong support
for H.R. 1635, the ``National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom
Act.'' This measure authorizes the National Park Service (NPS) to
facilitate and coordinate federal and non-federal activities that honor
and help people learn about the Underground Railroad. The bill
establishes within the NPS the means to link Underground Railroad
sites, produce educational materials and provide technical assistance
to local organizations. In addition, H.R. 1365 encourages the Secretary
of the Interior to enter into innovative public and private
partnerships to tell the story of the Underground Railroad.
I am proud to count myself among the original co-sponsors of this
important legislation. The Underground Railroad is one of the most
significant events of the American civil rights movement, and although
more than a century has passed since its inception, I feel that the
stories of those who participated in the Underground Railroad remain
vital sources of inspiration and can help promote racial understanding
and cooperation. In my own congressional district, there is a building
known as the ``Old Slave House,'' which was built in 1834 and has
served as a meaningful history lesson to those who have been fortunate
enough to visit it. The Old Slave House is unique in that
[[Page H4266]]
it is the only known remaining structure to have been used by
kidnappers operating a kind of ``reverse'' Underground Railroad, and it
is considered a key site by researchers and historians seeking to
preserve relics of this critical time in American history.
Mr. Speaker, I am committed to ensuring that the Old Slave House and
other sites receive the recognition and protection necessary for their
preservation, so that future generations may benefit from the lessons
they have to offer. The ``National Underground Railroad Network to
Freedom Act'' represents a critical step in this process, and I urge my
colleagues to vote for its passage today.
Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of an effort in the
Senate to amend the Higher Education Bill. This amendment would give
the Secretary of Education, in consultation with the Secretary of the
Interior, the authority to provide grant money to create an educational
center to research and celebrate the history of the Underground
Railroad.
The Underground Railroad story is unique in American history. Tens of
thousands of enslaved Black men and women risked their lives to pursue
freedom. The common bond that led free Blacks, Whites, Native Americans
and others to help secure safe passage for the fugitives was the firmly
held belief that all human beings have an inalienable right to freedom.
Under the proposed Senate amendment, which may be considered in the
next few weeks, the Department of Education would be authorized to
evaluate proposals put forward by non-profit educational groups and
select one that meets certain criteria, including the utilization of an
existing public-private partnership and an on-going endowment to
sustain the facility in the future.
In 1990, the Congress directed the National Park Service to conduct a
study of alternatives for commemorating and interpreting the
Underground Railroad. The Park Service found that there were numerous
sites in several states involved in the Underground Railroad and,
therefore, could not recommend a single site for an Underground
Railroad memorial.
The effort in the Senate resolves the matter by providing funds for
the development of a major ``hub'' site and the creation of satellite
centers all across the country--as was the actual Underground Railroad
operation. Including this bill in the Higher Education Bill also
creates more than a historical monument; it provides an educational
program dedicated to preserving, displaying and disseminating the
history of the Underground Railroad.
Mr. Speaker, I hope the Senate will include this amendment and I
encourage the House conferees to accept the language of the amendment
in conference.
Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1635 the
Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Act of 1998. With the passage
of this legislation, which promotes the interpretation and
commemoration of the path to freedom for escaped slaves, we will ensure
that one of the most important stories in American history is told. It
is a real-life drama, with all of the elements which make a compelling
story--danger, courage, sacrifice and an undeniable longing for freedom
which led to the establishment of the Underground Railroad. It is also
a story which illustrates humanity at its best and worst, holding
enduring lessons for present and future generations.
I am proud that the Underground Railroad's most famous conductor,
Harriet Tubman, spent time in my home state of New Jersey carrying out
her momentous mission. This brave African-American heroine, who was a
fugitive slave, nurse, abolitionist, and social worker, risked her own
life to lead hundreds of slaves to freedom.
Documented as an Underground Railroad Station is a home in Salem, New
Jersey, which belonged to Abigail Goodwin, a Quaker and outspoken
abolitionist, and her sister, Elizabeth. Under the initiative we are
considering today, attention will be given to the stories of people
like the Goodwin sisters and those they helped usher to freedom. As we
continue a national dialogue on race, we cannot fail to remember such a
critical period in our history and its impact on the development of our
nation.
Mr. Speaker, as a former educator, I firmly believe in this effort to
educate the public about the movement to resist slavery in the United
States in the decades leading up to the Civil War. I commend my friend
and colleague, Congressman Louis Stokes, for introducing this
legislation and I look forward to working with the National Park
Service and others to successfully implement thus effort to facilitate
partnerships among federal, state and local governments and the private
sector to highlight the Underground Railroad.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 1635, as amended.
The question was taken.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, on that, I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 5 of rule I and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
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