[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 45 (Thursday, March 15, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E566-E568]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE CARIBBEAN AMERICAN POPULATION OF 
                           THE UNITED STATES

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 15, 2007

  Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to enter into the Record an 
opinion editorial published in the Carib News newspaper the week ending 
February 27, 2007, titled ``Black History Month: The Hand of People 
From the Caribbean Seen in Every Aspect of Human Development''; as well 
as an article appearing the same week in the CaribNews paper, entitled, 
``A Celebration of the Caribbean-American Contribution to Black 
History: Achievement and Hard-Won Successes Caribbean-Americans Have 
Added to the Rich Cultural Tapestry of the United States,'' by Michael 
D. Roberts. I cannot agree more with the author. Now is the time to 
reflect on past achievements of immigrants of Caribbean descent and 
their impact on our country, as well as look to the future with an 
abundance of hope that their continual contributions to the United 
States will resonate through eternity.
  Since the abolition of slavery in 1834, the Caribbean has provided 
the primary source of the growth of the Black population in the U.S. 
Today many Caribbean workers residing in the U.S. are entrepreneurs and 
small business owners. They can be found working in hospitals, at 
construction sites and in technology and communication industries. They 
act as agents of social change in this country by participating in 
local, State and Federal Government, representing their communities 
while simultaneously inspiring others abroad to strive for stability 
and democracy in the homeland. Caribbean-Americans represent a large 
part of my district and have made a substantial contribution to the 
fabric of New York City's economy and they contribute to the diversity 
that characterizes the United States of America.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in recognition of the contributions of 
the Caribbean-American population in the U.S.

  Black History Month: The Hand of People From the Caribbean Seen in 
                   Every Aspect of Human Development

       ``When the great day of our liberation comes, we will find 
     the West Indian foremost in the ranks of those fighting with 
     his armor on and his sword raised aloft.''
       Fenton Johnson, an African-American editor, poet and 
     political activist in Chicago was looking back while keeping 
     his eyes on the prize ahead of him in 1919.
       ``In every industry, in every profession, in every trade, 
     we find this son of the islands holding aloft the banner of 
     Ethiopia,'' he added.
       Although much of what he had in mind: the black political, 
     cultural and economic awakening, has been achieved, a lot 
     remains to be done.
       But as we celebrate Black History Month and the 
     achievements of African-Americans, some things are quite 
     clear: African Americans and people from the Caribbean have 
     been consistent allies. Secondly, there is need for even more 
     trust in each other.
       Frederick Douglass, the ex-slave and the golden trombone of 
     the 19th century anti-slavery movement and one of the leaders 
     of the abolition crusade recognized the need for this united 
     effort when more than 170 years

[[Page E567]]

     ago he said: ``Let no American, especially no colored 
     American, withhold a generous recognition of this stupendous 
     achievement.''
       The great achievement he had in mind as he addressed 
     immigrants from the Caribbean islands in Elmira in New York 
     was the impact of emancipation of slaves in the West Indies 
     in the 1830s.
       ``Emancipation in the West Indies was the first bright star 
     in the stormy sky,'' was the way he put it in Elmira, New 
     York in 1880.
       It was more than that.
       (It was) ``The first ray of hope'' for African slaves in 
     America, he insisted, was a reason to continue to fight, 
     agitate, revolt and runaway from atrocities perpetrated 
     across the land by white slave owners who considered four 
     million people nothing more than ``beasts of burden.''
       But emancipation in the Caribbean, which spawned 
     expressions of joy and happiness, came at a price, thousands 
     of lives lost in the revolts against the brutality of 
     European domination.
       As Douglass pointed out, ``the emancipation of our brothers 
     in the West Indies came home to us and stirs our hearts and 
     fills our souls with grateful sentiments which link mankind 
     in a common brotherhood.''
       That's why it is so important to recognize the 
     contributions of people from the Caribbean to the development 
     of human civilization long before and after slavery was 
     abolished.
       The contributions were recorded in all areas of human 
     endeavor and they have had an impact on the wide range of 
     emotions--exhilaration after outstanding successes, sadness 
     over the loss of life during the struggle for freedom and 
     hope for what may be ahead. From the fight for freedom from 
     British colonialism in North America and the Caribbean, the 
     growth of agriculture, including the sugar industry, the rule 
     of law, and the struggle for independence and sovereignty to 
     the outstanding educational advancement, literary 
     accomplishments, global recognition as an incubator for 
     sports stars, entertainment, and social and economic 
     development, the Caribbean and its people have made their 
     mark on society.
       Dr. Winston James, a history professor at Columbia 
     University in New York, listed some of them in his book, 
     ``Holding Aloft the Banner of Ethiopia,'' which should be 
     read by those searching for factual information about how we 
     got where we are today.
       Denmark Vesey, who organized a Black uprising in Charleston 
     in 1832, was from the Virgin Islands. John Russwurm, a 
     Jamaican, was among the first Blacks to graduate from an 
     American college and in the Spring of 1827, a year after he 
     left Bowdoin College in Maine, he joined forces with the Rev. 
     Samuel Cornish and launched the Freedom Journal, the first 
     Black newspaper in the country.
       Robert Elliott, one of the most erudite 19th century 
     members of the U.S. House of Representatives and a strong 
     advocate of civil rights in the Reconstruction era was also 
     from Jamaica. Crispus Attucks, the first person to give his 
     life fighting for the independence of the United States, was 
     from Barbados and Prince Hall, also a Barbadian founded the 
     Black Masonic lodge and led the struggle in Massachusetts to 
     educate Blacks in the country. Marcus Garvey, the leader of 
     the greatest Black mass movement of the 20th century, was 
     also from the West Indies. Derek Walcott and Prof. Sir Arthur 
     Lewis, two of the great Nobel Laureates, came from St. Lucia.
       Today political, social and business leaders from almost 
     every Caribbean country are carrying on that tradition of 
     accomplishment at home in the Caribbean, in England, 
     continental Europe, Africa, Latin America and other regions 
     of the world.
       That rich history of making a difference on the stage of 
     life and of setting examples that the rest of the world can 
     follow is undeniable and underscores the value of Black 
     History Month and the need to examine the role of people from 
     the Caribbean. This is a time to reflect on past achievements 
     and look to the future with an abundance of hope.

A Celebration of the Caribbean-American Contribution to Black History: 
 Achievement and Hard-Won Successes Caribbean-Americans Have Added to 
            the Rich Cultural Tapestry of the United States

                        (By Michael D. Roberts)

       Today, nobody can doubt the sterling contribution of 
     Caribbean-Americans to the growth and development of America. 
     And it's been a long history of proven commitment for those 
     who have made this country their adopted homeland.
       That our ancestry from Africa labored without reward or 
     recompense in the dark days of slavery underscores the stake 
     that Caribbean-Americans have here in 2007. And for the 
     ignorant and uninformed few who consider Caribbean-Americans 
     outsiders, just sponging off the legacy of American 
     hospitality, I say this--read your history.
       But not so long ago, it used to be the politically correct 
     thing to deny one's Caribbean-American roots. Indeed, early 
     Caribbean immigrants only wanted to assimilate into the 
     American mainstream. Don't rock the boat. Hide your Caribbean 
     identity; speak ``yankee'' in a few days. Never speak in 
     public about the ``old country.''
       But even with this sentiment finding favor among certain 
     sections of the growing Caribbean community, Caribbean 
     nationals, later to be fully assimilated into American life 
     by the honorific name ``Caribbean-Americans,'' formed 
     alliances, and remained at the vanguard of the Black struggle 
     in their adopted homeland.
       Today, the term ``Caribbean-American'' is synonymous with 
     hard work, a growing community of highly literate and skilled 
     people, a landed immigrant community taking hold of and 
     fashioning with a true ``Caribbean flavor'' all those areas 
     of American infrastructure--from government to religion. And 
     while there is still some way to go before we can truly say 
     that this community has ``come of age,'' that should never 
     diminish the contribution that these immigrants from the 
     Caribbean have made and continue to make on the American 
     scene.
       Still, many stories are told even today about the early 
     Caribbean immigrants who waged those initial struggles to be 
     accepted by both Black and white America alike and for 
     economic well-being. For the most part, these early 
     immigrants, many of whom came from the middle and 
     professional classes in their various Caribbean island 
     homelands, were forced to take low-paying, menial jobs on the 
     way up the social and economic ladder. They drove taxis, 
     tended bar, worked in people's kitchens as housemaids, and 
     did two jobs, and sometimes three, to help the family here 
     and ``back home.''
       And in today's climate of xenophobia, and the sustained 
     attack on the immigrant community, Caribbean-Americans living 
     here must be reminded that they are not all ``wards of the 
     state,'' and recipients of the legacy of white folks. Indeed, 
     the Caribbean-American experience and achievement in the 
     United States, and their unequalled penchant for hard work, 
     is chronicled in the pages of Black History. And there can be 
     absolutely no doubt that starting with the American War of 
     Independence, Caribbean-Americans have been involved and at 
     the forefront of every major struggle in the liberation of 
     Black America.
       From the War of Independence to the New Deal to the Civil 
     Rights Era, the Caribbean-American record in their adopted 
     homeland is one of which generations yet unborn can be very 
     proud. Beginning with Crispus Attucks, the Barbadian man who 
     was the first casualty of the War of Independence, to modern 
     day leaders all over the country, Caribbean-Americans have 
     excelled. Hard work, dedication, and a commitment to 
     excellence at all and every level have marked their sojourn 
     in America. Today this large, dynamic and growing community 
     is recognized as one of the most affluent, educated, and 
     upwardly mobile ones within the wider Black and immigrant 
     communities--and the American society as a whole.
       Despite many hardships, Caribbean-Americans have focused on 
     getting ahead. Now the early generation of immigrants is 
     almost retired, own their own homes, and have sent their 
     children to college. They have also educated themselves along 
     the way. This rising middle class has only now begun to flex 
     its political muscle since the economic and social tasks have 
     now been completed. First and second generations of 
     Caribbean-Americans, those born here in America, have helped 
     this community put down its roots, thus becoming an important 
     part of American life. These new torchbearers will build and 
     solidify the foundations started by the tremendous hard work, 
     sacrifices and tenacity that their grandfathers and fathers 
     have built.
       On their journey Caribbean-Americans have drawn on the 
     achievements of many who traced their roots to the Caribbean 
     region in the persons of Hulan Jack, legendary trade unionist 
     Raymond Jones, ``The Fox of Harlem,'' and one of the first 
     Caribbean-American members of New York's City Council, the 
     king-maker Fred Samuels.
       Upon the shoulders of these pioneering Caribbean-American 
     leaders now stands a modern generation of new leaders in all 
     areas of American life. The entertainment industry is 
     littered with the names and achievements of Caribbean-
     American actors like Cecily Tyson, whose portrayal of Harriet 
     Tubman, the legendary Black freedom fighter is considered a 
     classic; Harry Belafonte, singer, actor, activist, and 
     ambassador of goodwill; and Sydney Poitier, exquisite actor 
     of film and television. Today's crop of actors who trace 
     their roots to the Caribbean are no less impressive: Sheryl 
     Ralph and Delroy Lindo from Jamaica.
       Two Caribbean-Americans, former Congresswoman Shirley 
     Chisholm, the first elected Black woman to the United States 
     Congress, and Trinidadian Congressman Mervyn Dymally, were 
     indefatigable fighters for the cause of Blacks. Both have 
     made their marks on national and international politics. As 
     did the deceased former Stokely Carmichael, now Kwame Toure, 
     who was born in Trinidad and Tobago, and who excelled during 
     the Civil Rights/Black Power era in the United States. Of 
     course, the work and dedication of the late Cleveland 
     Robinson, a Jamaican who marched with Dr. Martin Luther 
     King, Jr., and who helped him plot the course of the Civil 
     Rights struggle, also stands out, as well as his lifelong 
     commitment to workers' rights in the trade union movement.
       Retired General Colin Powell, the youngest Chief of Staff 
     of the United States Armed Forces and former United States 
     Secretary of State, was blessed by having a Jamaican mother 
     and father. Minister Louis Farrakhan, leader of the powerful 
     and influential Nation of Islam, traces his roots to the tiny 
     Caribbean island of St. Kitts. And the legendary Malcolm X's 
     mother came from the revolutionary island of Grenada, while 
     his father was a Jamaican.
       Today, New York is home to a little over two million 
     Caribbean-Americans and while

[[Page E568]]

     there is still some way to go, Caribbean-Americans have 
     prospered and excelled. Indeed the impressive list of 
     achievements reflects strong and bold strides in every area 
     in the fight for social and economic justice. Caribbean-
     Americans have partnered with African-Americans in forging a 
     common understanding and a need to work in each other's 
     interests. Not only that, Caribbean-Americans have reached 
     out to other immigrant communities to broaden the base of the 
     socio-economic and political struggle.
       This natural dynamic has spawned the likes of Congresswoman 
     Yvette Clarke, Assemblyman Nick Perry, Former City 
     Councilwoman Una Clarke, Councilman Dr. Kendall B. Stewart, 
     deceased Assemblywoman Pauline Rhodd Cummings, former City 
     Councilman Rev. Lloyd Henry and State Senator John Sampson, 
     in the present political arena. Social and educational 
     interaction has produced Nobel Prize winner, the St. Lucian 
     playwright Derek Walcott, the novelist Paulie Marshall, the 
     basketball stars, Patrick Ewing and Tim Duncan and many, many 
     others.
       So this record of not remaining aloof from the fracas that 
     is American life and politics is clearly outlined in Black 
     historical records. Caribbean-Americans have also had to 
     contend with similar problems faced by African-Americans, and 
     then some more. They have had to deal with the problems of 
     racism and discrimination. They have been used as handy 
     scapegoats when opportunistic politicians needed a vulnerable 
     group of people to beat up on. And they have been used as an 
     unwitting tool against each other in the devious tactic of 
     divide, rule and conquer.
       Recent problems of having to come to grips with a 
     horrendous xenophobic climate and some very draconian 
     immigration laws which all but say to immigrants, ``You are 
     not welcomed here,'' has literally placed this community 
     under siege. And compounding these problems is the pervasive 
     nature of neo-racism which hits all Blacks--not only 
     Caribbean-Americans. For many Caribbean-Americans, like their 
     African-American brothers and sisters, education is the key 
     to liberation and thousands have taken advantage of these 
     opportunities in the United States.
       They have succeeded despite the constant changing of the 
     rules and the shifting of the bar to perpetuate a program of 
     exclusion.
       The Caribbean-American contribution to Black and American 
     history is a saga of struggle, dedication and commitment to 
     success. Caribbean-Americans have defied all odds and 
     surmounted every obstacle along the way.
       They have formed alliances and forged new partnerships to 
     defend and protect common interests.
       They have brought their political savviness to the Black 
     liberation struggle. And they have made America richer for 
     the experience.

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