[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 15]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 20682]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             200TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ANTI-SLAVE TRADE ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 28, 2006

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, next year will be the 200th anniversary of 
the ending of the trans-atlantic trade by Great Britain, the beginning 
of the end of what was perhaps the greatest human tragedy in history.
  I join the members of the British Parliament and the African Diaspora 
across the globe in anticipation of the 200th anniversary of the 
passage of the Anti-Slave Trade Act by the British Parliament in 1807.
  For four and a half decades, hundreds of millions of Africans were 
bought and sold into slavery as part of the transatlantic slave trade 
while many others lost their lives during the Middle Passage. I believe 
this anniversary presents America with an opportunity to reflect on 
this dark part of our history and speak out against the continued 
conditions of slavery that millions still face across the globe.
  Indeed, as America continues to mourn and regret its involvement in 
the human rights violations of that time, we must not forget the 
wonderful legacy of African-American abolitionists such as Frederick 
Douglas, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, and many others. It was 
through their courage and determination that slavery ended in the 
United States.
  We must continue to meet the challenge of repairing the harm done to 
black Americans by the legacy of slavery in this Nation. By so doing, 
let us remember the connection between policymaking and the need for a 
more equitable society. Congress must continue to pass legislation 
which allows for broader access to education, health care, and jobs for 
minority groups across the country. Much like the fight against 
slavery, we must strengthen our resolve to fight poverty, crime, and 
other conditions that many face in the U.S.
  This is also a time for us to show a renewed commitment to the 
African continent, recognizing it as the ancestral home to the Diaspora 
across the globe. We must remember that millions of people were ripped 
from their homes, taken on a perilous journey across the Atlantic, and 
stripped of their culture and language. As a result, the loss of life 
and potential that Africa endured was a contributing factor to the 
under-development the continent faces today. We must show our 
commitment through trade, education, the fight against HIV/AIDS, and 
poverty in general.
  It is my hope that this 200th anniversary will be a way of bringing 
education and awareness about the rich heritage and culture of Africa 
embedded in America and the Caribbean through the Diaspora. I look 
forward to next year's anniversary. It is my hope that in remembering 
slavery we are reminded that we must never allow that dark history to 
repeat itself.

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