[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 164 (Thursday, November 5, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S11216]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DODD (for himself and Mr. Grassley):
  S. 2738. A bill to authorize National Mall Liberty Fund D.C. to 
establish a memorial on Federal land in the District of Columbia to 
honor free persons and slaves who fought for independence, liberty, and 
justice for all during the American Revolution; to the Committee on 
Energy and Natural Resources.
  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I rise today to speak about the National 
Liberty Memorial Act, a bill I am introducing with my colleague Senator 
Grassley. This important legislation would authorize the construction 
of a memorial in Washington, DC honoring the African American patriots 
who fought in the Revolutionary War.
  For too long, the role these brave Americans played in the founding 
of our Nation has been relegated to the dusty back pages of history. 
Fortunately, historians are now beginning to uncover their forgotten 
heroism, and they estimate that more than 5,000 slaves and free blacks 
fought in the army, navy, and militia during the Revolutionary War. 
They served and struggled in major battles from Lexington and Concord 
to Yorktown, fighting side by side with white soldiers. More than 400 
of these brave Americans hailed from my home state of Connecticut.
  More than 20 years ago, Congress authorized a memorial to black 
Revolutionary War soldiers and sailors, those who provided civilian 
assistance, and the many slaves who fled slavery or filed petitions to 
courts or legislatures for their freedom. Unfortunately, the group 
originally authorized to raise funds for and build the memorial was 
unable to conclude its task, and there remains no memorial to the 
important, and too often unacknowledged, contributions made by these 
5,000 Americans.
  But a group of committed citizens has formed the Liberty Fund DC to 
complete this memorial and ensure that these patriots receive the 
tribute they deserve here in our Nation's capital. I am honored to work 
alongside them in completing this mission.
  The time has come to recognize the sacrifice and the impact of the 
African Americans who fought for the birth of our country. I urge my 
colleagues to support the National Liberty Memorial Act.
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