[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16568]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 INTRODUCING A RESOLUTION IN COMMEMORATION OF THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF 
                    THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE BAHAMAS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 30, 2013

  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a 
resolution in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the independence 
of The Bahamas, which took place on July 10, 2013.
  The proud history and rich culture of the Bahamian people date back 
centuries, having evolved amid significant influences from foreign 
settlers and traders who were drawn to their islands' beauty, 
resources, and strategic location. The very islands were inhabited as 
early as 300 to 400 AD, and settled by the Lucayan Indians from 900 AD 
to 1500 AD. In 1492, Christopher Columbus made landfall in the New 
World on San Salvador and, within 25 years, about 40,000 natives were 
sent to work in the mines of Hispaniola.
  British settlement began in 1648 with the arrival of English Puritans 
led by Captain William Sayle, known as ``Eleutheran Adventurers,'' who 
sought religious freedom. The capital of The Bahamas, Nassau, was 
established around 1670 as a commercial port, and experienced several 
decades of conflict between Spanish, French, and British military 
forces, as well as privateers and pirates. By 1718, the King of England 
appointed Captain Woodes Rogers to serve as the first Royal Governor 
and restore order in The Bahamas, now a crown colony.
  Following the American War of Independence, the British issued land 
grants to American Loyalists who went into exile in The Bahamas. With 
them they brought slaves and forced the Spanish to retreat from the 
region. Today, the majority of Bahamians trace back their roots to the 
thousands of West Africans who were enslaved and brought to the islands 
in order to work on cotton plantations by those loyal to the British 
Crown. When Britain abolished its slave trade in 1807, thousands of 
liberated Africans from foreign slave ships were resettled as free 
persons in The Bahamas. During the early 19th century, hundreds of 
American slaves and Black Seminoles escaped from Florida and settled 
primarily on Andros Island in The Bahamas.
  Bahamians were granted self-rule in 1964, and became members of the 
Commonwealth of Nations in 1969. In December 1972, the Government of 
The Bahamas, headed by Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Lynden Pindling and 
the Opposition headed by Sir Kendal Isaacs, led a delegation to London 
to discuss the Independence Constitution. Less than a year later, on 
July 10, 1973, The Bahamas became a free and sovereign country, ending 
325 years of peaceful British rule. Nowadays, Bahamians typically 
commemorate their independence with a week-long celebration beginning 
on July 3rd consisting of a number of ``Junkanoo'' street parades, 
fireworks, political speeches, and other events.
  Mr. Speaker, I join with the people of The Bahamas and the Bahamian 
diaspora worldwide in commemorating the 40th anniversary of their 
independence. This resolution reaffirms the strong friendship and 
partnership between our two countries, which are united by a shared 
history, common values, and a commitment to democracy and human rights.

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