Houston recalls slavery’s history
U.S. Congressman Al Green Green called on the Black community to remember the spirit of their enslaved ancestors during his first Slavery Remembrance Day event.
“This is a special day for us,” Green said. “Slavery has been the original sin of our country, and we can never deny the truth.”
The event comes after Green’s resolution calling for Aug. 20 to be designated as Slavery Remembrance Day passed in the U.S. House of Representatives with a bipartisan vote 218-207, according to a news release last month.
The purpose of Slavery Re
membrance Day is to “serve as a reminder of the evils of slavery.”
More than 200 people turned out Saturday morning in the grand ballroom of The Power Center in Houston to mark the day’s first observation. Speakers included politicians and clergy.
Aug. 20 signifies the first arrival of slaves to the New World and the beginning of the horrors of slavery that would exist for over 400 years. On or around that date in 1619, about 20 Angolan slaves were taken to Virginia through the Middle Passage by English colonists.
Mayor Sylvester Turner paid homage to Green for his efforts leading to the official commemoration of Slavery Remembrance Day.
“Because of Congressman Al Green, we are honored and reminded of the struggle (of slavery). This Slave Remembrance Day is not just for white people, Asian people or Hispanic people; it’s for Black people as well, because we need to remember from whence we have come,” Turner said at the breakfast.
Now, Green hopes that this resolution will pass on the executive level, and be made a national holiday to commemorate those who fought to end slavery and continued to battle the injustices of systemic racism.
When concluding his speech, the audience joined him in a call-and-response while he read off the injustices faced by Black people spanning through slavery, the Jim Crow era, and systemic discrimination practices that still exist today.
To solidify the importance of keeping the spirit of Black ancestors alive, Green cheered, “We must,” and the audience replied, “Always remember.”