[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 110 (Monday, July 26, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H6007-H6008]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          HONORING SOJOURN TO THE PAST ON ITS 10TH ANNIVERSARY

  Mr. POLIS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 1058) honoring and praising the Sojourn to the 
Past organization on the occasion of its 10th anniversary, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1058

       Whereas the civil rights movement helped to better the 
     lives of millions of people and secured equality, civil 
     rights, and human rights for all people in the Nation;
       Whereas in 1999, California public high school teacher Jeff 
     Steinberg combined a civil rights history lesson and a field 
     trip to civil rights movement landmarks to create the 
     educational program Sojourn to the Past;
       Whereas Sojourn to the Past takes high school students on a 
     10-day excursion along the path of the civil rights movement 
     in the Southern United States, engaging them with historical 
     sites and talks with prominent veteran leaders of the civil 
     rights movement;
       Whereas the goal of Sojourn to the Past is to inspire 
     students to become civic leaders with a duty and ability to 
     unite people in the communities in equality and justice, 
     through knowledge, understanding, and compassion;
       Whereas Sojourn to the Past is the longest running civil 
     rights education and outreach program in the United States;
       Whereas Sojourn to the Past has conducted 55 sojourns and 
     introduced over 5,000 high school juniors and seniors to the 
     lessons, locations, and leaders of the civil rights movement;
       Whereas Sojourn to the Past teaches high school students 
     how the history of the civil rights movement is relevant to 
     ending discrimination, violence, hatred, bigotry, and 
     inequity in schools and communities;
       Whereas Sojourn to the Past's mission of making the civil 
     rights movement relevant for younger generations strengthens 
     society in the United States by promoting civil rights and 
     equality; and
       Whereas Sojourn to the Past continues to teach younger 
     generations of people in the United States about the civil 
     rights movement and challenges young people to define and 
     defend individual conceptions of justice

[[Page H6008]]

     in communities and classrooms: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) recognizes the 10th anniversary of the founding Sojourn 
     to the Past; and
       (2) honors and praises Sojourn to the Past on the occasion 
     of its anniversary, and for its work in educating the next 
     generation of people in the United States about the civil 
     rights movement and the importance of social justice.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Colorado (Mr. Polis) and the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Petri) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Colorado.


                             General Leave

  Mr. POLIS. Madam Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which 
Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous materials on House 
Resolution 1058 into the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Colorado?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. POLIS. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House Resolution 
1058, which honors the 10th anniversary of Sojourn to the Past, an 
educational program dedicated to developing students' appreciation for 
an understanding of the Civil Rights Movement.
  The Civil Rights Movement transformed the United States of America, 
ensuring legal equality and civil rights for all people in our country 
regardless of race or ethnicity.
  Educator Jeff Steinberg understood the importance of teaching the 
meaning of the civil rights movement when, 11 years ago, he decided to 
lead a school trip to several civil rights landmarks. That field trip 
quickly grew into its own education and outreach program, engaging 
approximately 100 high school students in three trips each year through 
visits to historical sites and discussions with prominent veteran 
leaders of the civil rights era. The students visit five States and 
landmarks, including the Edmund Pettus Bridge; the site of the Bloody 
Sunday march of 1965, in Selma, Alabama; Central High School in Little 
Rock, Arkansas; and the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, 
Tennessee.
  More than 10 years later, Sojourn to the Past has its own rich 
history, inspiring students to become civic leaders for the 21st 
century with a base of awareness of the importance of the civil rights 
movement of the 20th century. Newfound knowledge and personal 
understanding of the civil rights movement, these sojourners, these 
high school students, reflect on how they can fight to end 
discrimination, bigotry, and inequality in their own schools and their 
own communities.
  Today, more than 5,000 high school juniors and seniors have learned 
these lessons through participation in Sojourn to the Past. Just like 
civil rights leaders before them, these students will take 
responsibility for ending discrimination and promoting equality for all 
Americans moving forward.
  Madam Speaker, I would like to thank a great civil rights leader, who 
I am deeply honored to serve with in the House of Representatives, 
Representative John Lewis, for introducing this important resolution 
and serving on the Sojourn National Advisory Committee.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PETRI. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in support of House Resolution 1048, honoring and praising the 
Sojourn to the Past organization on the occasion of its 10th 
anniversary. Since 1999, Sojourn to the Past, a nonprofit organization, 
has taken thousands of students out of the classroom and across the 
country for a life-changing educational experience via hands-on lessons 
on the civil rights movement. Through a sometimes emotional and eye-
opening 10-day journey through a period of segregation in the Deep 
South, students learn the history of the civil rights movement in the 
United States.
  Sojourn to the Past is the longest-running civil rights education and 
outreach program in the United States. It has conducted 55 sojourns and 
introduced over 5,000 high school juniors and seniors to the history of 
the civil rights movement. This organization teaches high school 
students how the lessons of the civil rights movement are still 
relevant today.
  We recognize Sojourn to the Past for teaching younger generations of 
people about the history of the civil rights movement and challenging 
them to make a difference in their schools and their communities, and I 
support this resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. POLIS. Madam Speaker, it is my honor to yield such time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis).
  Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. I want to thank my friend and colleague from 
Colorado and my friend and colleague from Wisconsin for bringing this 
resolution before us.
  Madam Speaker, I want to thank the chairman and the ranking member of 
the Education and Labor Committee for their support of this bill, and 
the Majority Leader for his support and for bringing this resolution to 
the floor.
  Madam Speaker, this year marks the 10th anniversary of an outstanding 
organization called Sojourn to the Past, the longest-running civil 
rights program in the United States. Sojourn to the Past was founded by 
Jeff Steinberg, an inspired American history high school teacher from 
northern California. He started by taking his students on a 10-day 
field trip to the South to see where the most important moments of the 
civil rights movement actually happened. He took them to places like 
Atlanta, Tuskegee, Montgomery, Birmingham, and Selma. He took them to 
Jackson, Little Rock, and Memphis.
  While on these journeys, young people meet the leaders of the 
movement. They get out of the classroom and visit historic places that 
marked the time.
  Through this program, I believe young people grow more informed about 
the movement. They learn how it changed our country and our society, 
and they are changed. They become better human beings and better 
citizens not just of the United States but of the world.
  Since it began, Sojourn to the Past has taken over 5,000 high school 
students on these journeys, teaching them about the importance of 
social justice and the philosophy and the discipline of nonviolence. 
Like the civil rights movement itself, it challenges people to think 
about their own values and about what kind of country they want America 
to be.
  Madam Speaker, I invite all of my colleagues to join with all of us 
in honor of this important organization.
  Mr. PETRI. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. POLIS. Madam Speaker, I once again express my support for House 
Resolution 1058, which honors the 10th anniversary of Sojourn to the 
Past, to help young Americans understand the importance and the history 
of the very recent civil rights movement in this country. I urge my 
colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Polis) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1058, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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