G. K. Butterfield: “Thank you, very much, Mr. Jeffries, for those very kind words and thank you for yielding me time this evening to talk…”

“Thank you, very much, Mr. Jeffries, for those very kind words and thank you for yielding me time this evening to talk about this very important subject. Mr. Jeffries, your leadership on this issue, the issue involving strong labor unions and bringing American jobs back to American workers is so critically important, and for that we appreciate your leadership. Mr. Speaker, the economic success of the United States is something that other nations every day try to emulate. The success of our country is not because of us here in Congress, the policymakers, but it is because of the hard work of so many Americans who helped build a strong and resilient Nation. The role of African Americans has been particularly important over the years. The role African Americans played in the early economic success of our country is one that is not well known to some people, but it was so vital to building the world power that we are today. Even before the Civil War, Black Americans were critical in helping to build ships and other seagoing vessels that were used to move agricultural goods and equipment to the growing Nation by serving as caulkers, a job that was dominated by African Americans. Those same shipbuilders formed the Caulker's Association back in 1838 to protect African American caulkers by negotiating for higher wages and safer working conditions from their employers. The Caulker's Association counted Frederick Douglass, who worked as a caulker in Baltimore, as one of its members.…”