Acknowledging African Descendants of the Transatlantic Slave Trade in All of the Americas

ACKNOWLEDGING AFRICAN DESCENDANTS OF THE TRANSATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE IN ALL OF THE AMERICAS -- (Extensions of Remarks - July 20, 2005)

SPEECH OF
HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS
OF FLORIDA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MONDAY, JULY 18, 2005

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Con. Res. 175, a resolution acknowledging African descendants of the transatlantic slave trade in all of the Americas and recommending that the United States and the international community work to improve the situation of Afro-descendant communities in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The early history of the Americas is plagued with immeasurable acts of violence and inhumane cruelties. The establishment of the transatlantic slave trade is merely one of numerous blemishes that remain a part of our troubled past. From the late fifteenth through nineteenth centuries, an estimated ten million Africans were abducted, bound and shipped as human cargo to the Americas.

These men, women and children were used to build the foundation of nations spanning Latin America, North America and the Caribbean. Words can hardly do justice to the struggle these individuals faced on a daily basis. Working endless hours through unbearable conditions, African slaves constantly fought a losing battle to survive. Though disbanded several hundred years ago, the legacy of this institution remains imbedded in our societies even today.

African descendants throughout the Americas have historically suffered from societal and governmental marginalization. In the United States, African descendants experience disproportionately high infant mortality, illiteracy and poverty rates. As a nation, we have worked to fight against these racial disparities, yet they continue to persist.

Only recently have similar trends been analyzed and acknowledged in Latin American and Caribbean countries. This fight is ongoing both at home and abroad. We must extend our reach beyond domestic policy to advance an international discussion of racial issues.

Though America aspires to lead the world in the realm of economic policies and technological innovation, it constantly falls short of promoting racial equality. As pioneers in all other industries, it is our duty to be at the forefront of all efforts geared towards amending the social and economic disparities that continue to haunt African descendants in the Americas.

The largest number of Afro-descendants living outside of Africa can be found in Latin America and the Caribbean. These individuals share in our early history and suffer from the residual effects that are evidenced in our own communities. It is equally our responsibility to aid and assist Latin American and Caribbean nations' efforts to overcome their institutionalized racial disparities. Our common past will forever link our futures.

Mr. Speaker, this resolution serves as a reminder of the history shared amongst the Americas. The emancipation of all men, though boldly declared by many nations throughout the nineteenth century, remains to be realized. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution as a necessary step in addressing the racial inequities that persist in North America, Latin America and the Caribbean.

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