Recognizing February 25, 2009 as Reparations Awareness Day.

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 were introduced in 2000 by State Representative John Myers, both called 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, and is working toward the re-introduction of legislation in the United States Congress and Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and has launched a National Reparations Awareness Campaign; now therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA

, That we recognize February 25, 2009 as Reparations Awareness Day.

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.

End