[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 147 (Tuesday, September 12, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E833-E834]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING HAITIAN BOAT PEOPLE

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. FREDERICA S. WILSON

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 12, 2023

  Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 
50th anniversary landing of the first boat carrying Haitian refugees to 
South Florida.
  On December 12, 1972, the first report of Haitian refugees, often 
called ``Haitian Boat People,'' fleeing to the United States, was 
documented. Between 1972 and 1981, over 55,000 refugees arrived in 
Florida and have continued to thrive thanks to community champions who 
supported the Haitian migrant population.
  Today, the South Florida Haitian refugee population has accomplished 
many firsts, becoming mayors, councilmembers, and state 
representatives. Miami's historic Lemon City became the first 
neighborhood officially called Little Haiti. Central streets were named 
after Haitian cultural icons such as Felix Morisseau-Leroy and heroes 
of Haiti's independence. A statue of Toussaint Louverture stands guard 
on Plas Kamoken in Little Haiti. Toussaint Elementary was home to the 
first Haitian American principal, and Morningside Elementary

[[Page E834]]

became the first international language magnet in the country to offer 
Haitian Creole. The Little Haiti Cultural Center has become the mecca 
for the global Haitian Diaspora, a destination for arts, culture, and 
entertainment. And the Manno Sannon Stadium is home to the 
championship-winning Little Haiti Supreme Football Team.
  December 12, 2022, marked the 50th anniversary of the first 
documented arrival of Haitian refugees fleeing Haiti by sea. This 
anniversary marks the beginning of an incredible journey that has 
transformed South Florida's social, cultural, and political landscape. 
History-making events have since followed, impacting federal 
jurisprudence, local advocacy efforts for immigrant justice, and the 
treatment of asylum seekers in healthcare, education, employment, and 
housing.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring the legacy of the Haitian 
boat people.

                          ____________________