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STATEMENT
OF
THE HONORABLE LOUIS STOKES (OH-11)
IN SUPPORT
OF S. 887
THE NATIONAL UNDERGROUND RAILROAD
NETWORK TO FREEDOM ACT
BEFORE THE ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES
SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL PARKS,
HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND RECREATION
March 24, 1998
Mr.
Chairman, and members of the Subcommittee I am pleased to
appear before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources
Subcommittee on National Parks, Historic Preservation and
Recreation this afternoon as you consider S. 887, The
“NATIONAL UNDERGROUND
RAILROAD NETWORK TO FREEDOM ACT.” My
colleague, Rob Portman, and I introduced similar legislation
in the House in May of last year.
Since
its introduction, the bill has enjoyed strong support on
both sides of the aisle with 139 House cosponsors. This
Subcommittee hearing represents an important step in our
bipartisan effort to secure enactment of this legislation.
The House unanimously approved the measure at the
Subcommittee level, and we are now awaiting a full committee
mark up. I am pleased that through the efforts of our
distinguished colleagues, Senator Carol Moseley-Braun and
Senator DeWine, your Subcommittee is considering this
important issue.
The
issue of slavery brings to mind a painful chapter in our
nation’s history. As a result of forced enslavement, America
witnessed the birth of a movement that would carry masses of
people from slave quarters in the south to freedom in
northern cities of the United States, Mexico, Canada, and
the Caribbean. This movement became known as the
“Underground Railroad.”
History teaches us that the Underground Railroad flourished
from the end of the 18th century to the end of
the Civil War. It was one of the most significant
expressions of the American Civil Rights movement during its
evolution over more than three centuries. The Underground
Railroad movement helped thousands of African Americans to
gain freedom and human dignity they were endowed with at
birth.
Mr.
Chairman,
S. 887,
The “ NATIONAL UNDERGROUND
RAILROAD NETWORK TO FREEDOM ACT,”
will link
Underground Railroad sites. The legislation directs the
Secretary of Interior to produce appropriate educational
materials associated with the Underground Railroad. Further,
the bill seeks to encourage public and private partnerships
to tell the story of the Underground Railroad.
It is
our hope that through this legislation, we can educate all
people concerning this important episode in American
history. Second, we want to bring our country together by
facing the lingering vestiges of our dehumanizing past, so
that we can find common ground and move forward as a people.
I am convinced that we cannot solve our racial problems
unless we find a way to bring the American people together
in the same manner the Underground Railroad bridged the
divisions of race, religion, nationalities, and spanned
state lines and international borders.
As I
travel throughout this country, it appears that there is
strong support for t his historical effort. We are hopeful
that Congress will move expeditiously to enact the
“NATIONAL UNDERGROUND RAILROAD NETWORK
TO FREEDOM ACT.”
I offer my strong support for S. 887.
Thanks
you, Mr. Chairman, for the opportunity to address the
Subcommittee. I would be pleased to answer any questions at
this time.
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