Political Quotes

“And still I rise, Mr. Speaker. I rise today as a proud descendant of the enslaved people who are the foundational mothers and fathers of our country. They are the persons who laid the economic foundation that we all reside upon today. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to give an update on the conscience agenda. I rise to give an update because we have had something new that we have to add to the agenda. Previously, we had announced that the agenda would consist of expanding a Slavery Remembrance Day. August 20 of 1619 is a day that will live in infamy. It was a seminal moment in time for this country because it was on that day that persons upon a ship, the White Lion, docked at a place called Point Comfort, near what we now call Norfolk, Virginia. On that ship were persons of African ancestry, the first 20 Africans. There may be some debate as to the number, but approximately 20 is what is recorded in most places, it seems. The first 20 Africans were traded for goods. They became the first enslaved people in this country. August 20 of 1619, a day that was a seminal moment then and a seminal moment now because of the impact it has had on our country. Slavery should be remembered. We have a Holocaust Remembrance Day, and I completely, absolutely, and totally support it. I was at the Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony just recently where we commemorated those persons who were victims of the holocaust. We have a 9/11 remembrance day. We have a Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.…”