[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 98 (Tuesday, June 11, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H3716-H3718]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            COMMEMORATING CARIBBEAN AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 9, 2023, the Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
Jackson) for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader.


                             General Leave

  Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend 
their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of this 
Special Order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  It is with great honor that I rise today to co-anchor this 
Congressional Black Caucus Special Order hour along with my 
distinguished colleague, the Honorable Representative Sheila Cherfilus-
McCormick, from the great State of Florida.
  For the next 60 minutes, members of the Congressional Black Caucus 
have an opportunity to speak directly to the American people on the 
topic of Caribbean American Heritage Month, an issue of great 
importance to the Congressional Black Caucus, Congress, the 
constituents we represent, and all Americans.
  Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to yield to the Honorable 
Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick from the State of Florida.
  Mrs. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to commemorate 
Caribbean American Heritage Month, a time to recognize the profound 
historical significance and impact of Caribbean Americans on the 
history and development of the United States.
  Caribbean Americans have played a pivotal role since the earliest 
days of our Nation's history. One of the most notable figures was 
Alexander Hamilton, born in Nevis, whose vision and intellect helped 
lay the foundation of our financial system and set forth the course for 
America's economic future.
  During the 20th century, Shirley Chisholm, the daughter of Barbadian 
and Guyanese immigrants, emerged as a trailblazer in American politics.
  During the same time, Malcolm X, a transformative civil rights leader 
whose roots trace back to Grenada, advocated for Black power and 
economic autonomy. His work has inspired individuals to strive for a 
more just and equitable society.
  Next, we honor Puerto Rican-born Dr. Antonia Novello, a trailblazer 
in the field of public health who broke barriers as the first female 
and first Hispanic United States Surgeon General. She worked to improve 
health conditions and access to medical care, particularly for women, 
children, and underrepresented communities.
  Finally, we celebrate the Cuban-born Celia Cruz, also known as the 
Queen of Salsa. Cruz not only captivated audiences but also enriched 
American music by popularizing salsa and creating a cultural bridge 
that we continue to enjoy and appreciate today.
  In my home State of Florida, the historical significance of Caribbean 
Americans is particularly evident. In the early 20th century, waves of 
Caribbean immigrants arrived in Florida, playing a crucial role in 
developing industries such as agriculture and tourism, which remain 
vital to Florida's economy today.
  For example, the construction of the Overseas Railroad in the early 
1900s was made possible by the labor of many Caribbean workers. The 
railroad connected the Florida Keys to the mainland and transformed the 
region's economic landscape.

[[Page H3717]]

  Let us celebrate this heritage with the recognition it deserves and a 
commitment to ensuring that the contributions of Caribbean Americans 
continue to be acknowledged and celebrated for generations to come.
  Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I thank my co-anchor and 
leader, the Honorable Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida, for her 
remarks.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Caribbean American Heritage 
Month. For much of the long history of this Nation, it has been lost to 
most of our citizens the tremendous role that the nation of Haiti 
played in the formation of the United States of America.
  What most people miss is that it was because of the Haitian 
Revolution that Napoleon lost interest in maintaining control over his 
so-called Caribbean landholdings and, therefore, saw no use in keeping 
Louisiana, prompting him to facilitate the Louisiana Purchase, which 
doubled the size of the United States of America.
  The expansion of this Nation west of the Mississippi was directly 
related to the Haitian Revolution, a point I invite my colleagues to 
remember the next time they wonder why members of the Congressional 
Black Caucus are so concerned about Haiti.
  Let me further remind my colleagues that the city responsible for my 
birth, the city of Chicago in the State of Illinois, was founded by a 
Haitian immigrant, Jean Baptiste Point du Sable.
  While I was growing up, if you talked about the erasure of history, 
there was no monument formally dedicated in the great city of Chicago 
to the founding father of the city of Chicago. It was first recognized 
in what was formerly a city jail that Dr. Margaret Burrows turned into 
the DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center in the city of 
Chicago. Most recently, our magnificent Lake Shore Drive was renamed 
Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable Lake Shore Drive.
  We have had to insert the history to make it whole because when 
history is not made whole, it is propaganda.
  I was born and raised in Chicago, and there would be no Chicago 
without a member of the Caribbean-American community. It is about time 
the people of this Nation come to terms with the immense contribution 
of Haiti to the United States of America.
  Everything that we love about New Orleans and Chicago is directly 
dependent upon the nation of Haiti and the children she sent around the 
world. The people of Haiti had as much to do with the formation of 
America's cultural influence as any of the descendants of Europe. Yet, 
somehow, Haitians are left out of the conversations when it comes to 
the contribution other nations have made to the formation of the 
American spirit.

                              {time}  2015

  The father of Chicago was a Haitian man, but there was a time in 
American history when history books would not acknowledge the ancestry 
of persons of African heritage.
  In fact, there was a time in the history of Chicago when Jean 
Baptiste du Sable's name would never be erected on a building. We had 
denied the truth of Haiti's contribution, and yet, the reality of 
Haiti's indelible endowment to America lives on.
  Those of us who rise tonight do so because we refuse to be silent 
about the great contributions that African descendants from the 
Caribbean have made to this Nation's history and this Nation's future.
  Malcolm X once said: ``Of all our studies, history is best qualified 
to reward our research.'' Yet, what he meant by the statement was that 
it is only when we discover the immovable truth of our history that we 
find the footing we need to leap out of the darkness and into the kind 
of future we deserve.
  A point which I should add is that Malcolm X was himself of 
Caribbean-American descent, as his mother and her descendants hailed 
from Grenada.
  Needless to say, there is a long and noble list of Americans whose 
ancestry goes back to the Caribbean, and we would be wise to honor that 
history because in honoring it we honor, in fact, ourselves.
  It is only when we honor the truth that we tear down the load-bearing 
walls of falsehood, hatred, and bigotry.
  The days when we could be in denial about the unique and important 
contribution of marginalized parts of the world to the formation of 
America are over.
  Mr. Speaker, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said that 
before you leave the house in the morning you have already depended on 
half the world to clothe you, to feed you, and provide you with a cup 
of coffee to wake you up.
  I submit to the Members of this body that America is better when we 
are about the business of acknowledging the longstanding connection 
that our pursuit for freedom has with other parts of the world.
  I know sometimes certain populations in America would like to believe 
the mythical lie of a rugged American individualism. I understand that 
there are those who would rather think that this country pulled itself 
up by its bootstraps without any assistance from anybody anywhere.
  Regrettably, nothing could be further from the truth.
  America is not a weaker country because nations such as Haiti 
assisted us and directly benefited us, but rather, we are stronger 
because the truth will set you free.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a 220th anniversary of the Republic of Haiti. 
Haiti is America's longest and oldest democratic partner. Haiti now 
celebrates 220 years.
  I would like to remind this body, on Haiti's 220-year anniversary, 
their democratically elected president was highjacked, kidnapped, and 
taken out with U.S. assistance from his homeland to an African city.
  Now, Mr. Speaker, this is a time where the Haitians certainly need 
our assistance. Haiti is not a debtor country. Haiti is a creditor 
country to the United States. Haitians supported America during the 
Revolutionary War in Savannah where a statue still rises from those 
ashes.
  Let us celebrate this Caribbean Heritage Month. Let us celebrate all 
of those that have been erased from history that have committed such 
great and noble works to us.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the distinguished gentlewoman from Florida 
(Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick), the co-anchor of this Congressional Black 
Caucus Special Order hour.
  Mrs. CHERFILUS-McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, I thank my co-anchor, who I 
think, is an honorary Haitian for all his advocacy.
  Mr. Speaker, today we come to the floor to celebrate Caribbean 
Heritage Month. It is a time to honor Caribbean Americans' vibrant 
culture and invaluable contributions to our Nation.
  It is significant in my home State of Florida where the Caribbean 
diaspora thrives and flourishes.
  As someone of Haitian descent, my heritage provides me with strength 
and resilience, traits passed down through the generations of Caribbean 
people who have faced and conquered tremendous challenges.
  Caribbean Americans have been at the forefront of advocacy and 
leadership in politics. From city councils to the Halls of Congress, we 
have raised our voices to champion civil rights, social justice, and 
equality for all.
  Moreover, Caribbean Americans are innovators and pioneers. From the 
groundbreaking research of Dr. Patricia Bath, a pioneering 
ophthalmologist of Trinidadian descent, to the literary genius of 
Jamaica Kincaid from Antigua, our contributions to science, literature, 
and the arts have profoundly impacted the entire world.
  These achievements are a testament to the ingenuity and creativity 
that are the hallmarks of our heritage.
  In recognizing the importance of Caribbean American Heritage Month, 
we acknowledge that our diversity is, in fact, our strength. It is a 
reminder that the United States thrives when we embrace and celebrate 
the unique cultures and histories that make up our entire Nation.
  Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Honorable Sheila 
Cherfilus-McCormick, my co-anchor of this Congressional Black Caucus 
Special Order hour, for her comments.
  Mr. Speaker, in closing I would like to share that Haiti has a rich 
and a very vibrant history. It pains me deeply to see that people look 
at Haiti as a beggar nation. Haiti has gone through one of the most 
horrendous stories in mankind.
  After the Haitian people valiantly fought off those that enslaved 
them,

[[Page H3718]]

American powers and European powers forced those that had been 
enslaved, kidnapped, raped, and robbed to pay reparations back to 
France up until the 1940s.
  The Haitian people are vibrant people and honorable people, and 
Haitians deserve our help and support. The United States asked the 
Kenyan Government to support the Haitian people to help gain back 
control of their country by the citizens for their rightful democracy. 
We very well, as the world's most powerful country, should be able to 
send our forces down and assist those people so they can build back 
their country.
  We owe them a development plan. We cannot be the greatest nation 
having the poorest country in the world off of our shores. Haitians 
have been our best allies, our longest democratic partners, and we can 
do better.
  Mr. Speaker, you have heard from my distinguished colleagues and the 
Honorable Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of all the great issues important 
to the Congressional Black Caucus, our constituents, Congress, and all 
Americans tonight.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

                          ____________________