WHEREAS, Approximately 4,000,000 Africans and their descendants were enslaved in the United States and in the colonies that became the United States from 1619 to 1865; and
WHEREAS, The institution of slavery was constitutionally and statutorily sanctioned by the United States Government from 1789 through 1865; and
WHEREAS, The institution of slavery resulted in the immoral and inhumane deprivation of life, liberty and justice as well as the denial of the rights and privileges of citizenship to Africans; and
WHEREAS, A thorough examination of the effects of the institution of slavery on living African Americans and the society in the United States has not been undertaken; and
WHEREAS, H.R.40, introduced by U.S. Congressman John Conyers, and H.B. 315 originally introduced by the late State Representative David P. Richardson, Jr. and re-introduced by State Representative John Myers, both call for the creation of a commission whose duties shall be: to examine the institution of slavery within the United States; to examine the de jure and de facto discrimination against freed slaves and their descendants from the end of the Civil War to present; to examine the lingering negative effects of the institution of slavery; and, to recommend appropriate remedies to Congress and the Pennsylvania House of Representatives; and
WHEREAS, The National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America is dedicated to realizing reparations for African Americans, is working toward passage of H.R. 40 and H.B. 315, and has launched a National Reparations Awareness Campaign; now therefore
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we recognize February 25, 2003 as Reparations Awareness Day; and
RESOLVED FURTHER, That we urge the U.S. Congress to pass H.R. 40 in this year of Black presence and we urge the Pennsylvania House of Representatives to pass H.B. 315, the "Commission to Study Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act"; and
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to the Philadelphia Chapter of the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America as evidence of this body's awareness of the injustices suffered by Africans who were enslaved in this country between 1619 and 1865.
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