Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, St. Louis and I rise today to celebrate the final day of Black History Month and to pay tribute to the contributions made by Black Americans to free enslaved Black people. I proudly introduced a resolution to honor Mary and John Meachum, formerly enslaved Black abolitionists in St. Louis, Missouri, who dedicated their lives to the liberation of all Black people, especially those who were enslaved. In defiance of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, the Meachums' home became a stop on the Underground Railroad, guiding countless enslaved Black people to freedom in Illinois. Mary continued this work after her husband's death in 1854. In May of 1855, Mary Meachum was implicated in a plot to smuggle a small group of enslaved Black people across the river and was arrested by a group of law enforcement and enslavers working together. Today, their legacy is memorialized at the Mary Meachum Freedom Crossing on the St. Louis Riverfront Trail. I am dedicated to ensuring that the stories of individuals like Mary and John Meachum are told for generations to come. ____________________”