The US Senate approved a fiercely worded resolution Thursday formally apologizing for the "fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality, and inhumanity of slavery" of African-Americans.
The unanimous voice vote came five months after Barack Obama became the first black US president, and ahead of the June 19 "Juneteenth" celebration of the emancipation of African-Americans at the end of the US Civil War in 1865.
House of Representatives approval, which could come as early as next week, would make it the first time the entire US Congress has formally apologized on behalf of the American people for one of the grimmest wrongs in US history.
The bill, which does not require Obama's signature, states that the US Congress "acknowledges the fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality, and inhumanity of slavery and Jim Crow laws" that enshrined racial segregation at the state and local level in the United States well into the 1960s.
And the Congress "apologizes to African-Americans on behalf of the people of the United States, for the wrongs committed against them and their ancestors who suffered under slavery and Jim Crow laws."
It also recommits lawmakers "to the principle that all people are created equal and endowed with inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and calls on all people of the United States to work toward eliminating racial prejudices, injustices, and discrimination from our society."
Democratic Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa and Republican Sam Brownback of Kansas led the debate as both major US parties banished their deep differences on subjects like the economy to come together on the measure.
"We pledge to move beyond this shameful period and we officially acknowledge and apologize for the institution of slavery in this country what many refer to as 'the original sin of America,'" said Brownback.
"Let us make no mistake: This resolution will not fix lingering injustices. while we are proud of this resolution and believe it is long overdue, the real work lies ahead," said Harkin.
In a step that has angered some African-American lawmakers, the measure takes pains not to fuel the push for the US government to pay reparations to the descendants of African slaves.
"Nothing in this resolution (a) authorizes or supports any claim against the United States; or (b) serves as a settlement of any claim against the United States," it says.
That has drawn "serious concerns" within the Congressional Black Caucus, though the group has yet to decide on a formal position towards the legislation, a source close to the group said Thursday.
It was unclear whether opposition from those lawmakers could force a change to the language or otherwise hinder the measure.
And Harkin said a "fitting ceremony" to mark final passage would occur in early July. Supporters hope Obama will attend the event.
Former president Bill Clinton expressed regret for slavery during a March 1998 trip to Africa, while his successor, George W. Bush, called slavery "one of the greatest crimes of history" during a July 2003 visit to Goree Island, Senegal, a former slave-trade port.
Some US states have officially adopted resolutions expressing regret or remorse for slavery.
The debate came as the United States marked the 80th anniversary of civil rights icon Martin Luther King, Jr's birthday, and the 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln, who formally declared blacks in secessionist states free during the civil war in 1863.
And 2009 is also the hundredth year since the founding of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) civil rights group.
The US Congress has apologized for other wrongs over the years: In 1988, it apologized for the World War II-era internment of people of Japanese descent, and 20 years later for the treatment of Native American peoples as the United States grew.
Source: AP
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Now when does the Congress apologize for the White Slave Trade that Congress ended in 1910?
An apology, along with reparations, would have been appropriate for my great-great grandparents. At this point, it means little, other than making politicians feel better. Also, the idea may be that they'll apologize so they don't have to do anything else. In fact, the Congressman who proposed the apology is Mr. Cohen, a white individual representing a black district and, IMO, promoting this to establish his civil rights bona fides to ward off competition from African-American rivals, including former Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton.
Some are arguing that the fact that thousands of white Union soldiers died in the Civil War should be payment enough. How absurd, when millions of Africans died being brought over here and millions more Blacks were killed or died being worked to death once they got here. Neither an apology nor money can make up for slavery, but the money to get a good start and leave an inheritance for their offspring would have been the right thing to do when slaves were freed in 1865. The offspring are still waiting for the funds that should be rightfully theirs and welfare, affirmative action, etc. are irrelevant, since those programs are open to a number of groups and are not exclusive remedies for descendants of slaves.
It will take many years and more economic and political clout than African Americans currently have for there to be any hope of reparations.
An apology, along with reparations, would have been appropriate for my great-great grandparents. At this point, it means little, other than making politicians feel better. Also, the idea may be that they'll apologize so they don't have to do anything else. In fact, the Congressman who proposed the apology is Mr. Cohen, a white individual representing a black district and, IMO, promoting this to establish his civil rights bona fides to ward off competition from African-American rivals, including former Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton.
Some are arguing that the fact that thousands of white Union soldiers died in the Civil War should be payment enough. How absurd, when millions of Africans died being brought over here and millions more Blacks were killed or died being worked to death once they got here. Neither an apology nor money can make up for slavery, but the money to get a good start and leave an inheritance for their offspring would have been the right thing to do when slaves were freed in 1865. The offspring are still waiting for the funds that should be rightfully theirs and welfare, affirmative action, etc. are irrelevant, since those programs are open to a number of groups and are not exclusive remedies for descendants of slaves.
It will take many years and more economic and political clout than African Americans currently have for there to be any hope of reparations.
An apology, along with reparations, would have been appropriate for my great-great grandparents. At this point, it means little, other than making politicians feel better. Also, the idea may be that they'll apologize so they don't have to do anything else. In fact, the Congressman who proposed the apology is Mr. Cohen, a white individual representing a black district and, IMO, promoting this to establish his civil rights bona fides to ward off competition from African-American rivals, including former Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton.
Some are arguing that the fact that thousands of white Union soldiers died in the Civil War should be payment enough. How absurd, when millions of Africans died being brought over here and millions more Blacks were killed or died being worked to death once they got here. Neither an apology nor money can make up for slavery, but the money to get a good start and leave an inheritance for their offspring would have been the right thing to do when slaves were freed in 1865. The offspring are still waiting for the funds that should be rightfully theirs and welfare, affirmative action, etc. are irrelevant, since those programs are open to a number of groups and are not exclusive remedies for descendants of slaves.
It will take many years and more economic and political clout than African Americans currently have for there to be any hope of reparations.
An apology, along with reparations, would have been appropriate for my great-great grandparents. At this point, it means little, other than making politicians feel better. Also, the idea may be that they'll apologize so they don't have to do anything else. In fact, the Congressman who proposed the apology is Mr. Cohen, a white individual representing a black district and, IMO, promoting this to establish his civil rights bona fides to ward off competition from African-American rivals, including former Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton.
Some are arguing that the fact that thousands of white Union soldiers died in the Civil War should be payment enough. How absurd, when millions of Africans died being brought over here and millions more Blacks were killed or died being worked to death once they got here. Neither an apology nor money can make up for slavery, but the money to get a good start and leave an inheritance for their offspring would have been the right thing to do when slaves were freed in 1865. The offspring are still waiting for the funds that should be rightfully theirs and welfare, affirmative action, etc. are irrelevant, since those programs are open to a number of groups and are not exclusive remedies for descendants of slaves.
It will take many years and more economic and political clout than African Americans currently have for there to be any hope of reparations.