House Prepares to Pass Hastings Resolution Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the Okeechobee Hurricane

Press Release

House Prepares to Pass Hastings Resolution Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the Okeechobee Hurricane

U.S. Representative Alcee L. Hastings (D-Miramar) applauded the House of Representatives for its plans today to consider H. Res. 1376, a resolution commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Okeechobee Hurricane. The resolution was introduced by Representative Hastings and is expected to pass the House later this evening. Last week, communities throughout South Florida commemorated the 80th anniversary of the Okeechobee Hurricane, also known as Hurricane San Felipe Segundo, making landfall in Florida. The storm ravaged Florida, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Bahamas, and numerous islands of the Caribbean.

"The experience of the Okeechobee Hurricane still touches the lives of so many of my constituents and people throughout Florida and the Caribbean," said Representative Hastings. "The House's consideration of this resolution today is both appropriate and timely."

Representative Hastings' resolution pays appropriate tribute to the over 4,000 total lives that were lost from the storm. More than 3,000 people died in the U.S. alone, the 2nd largest death toll ever recorded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Approximately 75 percent of the 3,000 were migrant workers, the majority of whom were African American. The lack of capacity to respond to the storm and racial overtures of the era led to extensive disparities in the treatment of victims of the hurricane. Many African Americans were buried in poorly marked mass graves, including one site in West Palm Beach where over 670 unfortunate souls were laid to rest. Similar graves for white victims of the tragedy were visibly memorialized, whereas many African American graves were forgotten and only recognized many years later.

"Neglecting these darker moments in our history can overlook important lessons, as we saw with the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina, Gustav, and most recently Ike," Representative Hastings continued. "Beyond just recognizing the victims of the Okeechobee Hurricane tragedy, their loss is a reminder of what can happen when there are injustices in disaster response and mitigation."

The resolution also calls on the federal and state governments to make critical investments in disaster response and mitigation. It recognizes the Army Corps of Engineers for their efforts to repair the Herbert Hoover Dike. The Dike was built in the 1930s to protect the Lake Okeechobee communities that were destroyed in 1928. Representative Hastings has secured over $110 million to date for expedited repairs of the Dike.

"Without continued help, these communities will be vulnerable to devastation from future storms," noted Representative Hastings. "Congress must do whatever it takes to ensure that the Herbert Hoover Dike and other vulnerable infrastructure in the country are up to date and safe for those living around them."

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