[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 99 (Wednesday, July 20, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1544]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


 ACKNOWLEDGING AFRICAN DESCENDANTS OF THE TRANSATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE IN 
                          ALL OF THE AMERICAS

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 18, 2005

  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support 
of H. Con. Res. 175, a resolution acknowledging African descendants of 
the transatlantic slave trade in all of the Americas and recommending 
that the United States and the international community work to improve 
the situation of Afro-descendant communities in Latin America and the 
Caribbean.
  The early history of the Americas is plagued with immeasurable acts 
of violence and inhumane cruelties. The establishment of the 
transatlantic slave trade is merely one of numerous blemishes that 
remain a part of our troubled past. From the late fifteenth through 
nineteenth centuries, an estimated ten million Africans were abducted, 
bound and shipped as human cargo to the Americas.
  These men, women and children were used to build the foundation of 
nations spanning Latin America, North America and the Caribbean. Words 
can hardly do justice to the struggle these individuals faced on a 
daily basis. Working endless hours through unbearable conditions, 
African slaves constantly fought a losing battle to survive. Though 
disbanded several hundred years ago, the legacy of this institution 
remains imbedded in our societies even today.
  African descendants throughout the Americas have historically 
suffered from societal and governmental marginalization. In the United 
States, African descendants experience disproportionately high infant 
mortality, illiteracy and poverty rates. As a nation, we have worked to 
fight against these racial disparities, yet they continue to persist.
  Only recently have similar trends been analyzed and acknowledged in 
Latin American and Caribbean countries. This fight is ongoing both at 
home and abroad. We must extend our reach beyond domestic policy to 
advance an international discussion of racial issues.
  Though America aspires to lead the world in the realm of economic 
policies and technological innovation, it constantly falls short of 
promoting racial equality. As pioneers in all other industries, it is 
our duty to be at the forefront of all efforts geared towards amending 
the social and economic disparities that continue to haunt African 
descendants in the Americas.
  The largest number of Afro-descendants living outside of Africa can 
be found in Latin America and the Caribbean. These individuals share in 
our early history and suffer from the residual effects that are 
evidenced in our own communities. It is equally our responsibility to 
aid and assist Latin American and Caribbean nations' efforts to 
overcome their institutionalized racial disparities. Our common past 
will forever link our futures.
  Mr. Speaker, this resolution serves as a reminder of the history 
shared amongst the Americas. The emancipation of all men, though boldly 
declared by many nations throughout the nineteenth century, remains to 
be realized. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution as a 
necessary step in addressing the racial inequities that persist in 
North America, Latin America and the Caribbean.

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