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The Savannah Tribune • Wednesday, July 8, 2009 - 3
SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY NEWS
Resolution Passed in Senate
Apologizing for Slavery
(New Journal and Guide)
The NAACP applauded
the United States Senate for
its passage on Thursday June
18 of a historic resolution
apologizing for the enslave
ment and racial segregation
of African-Americans.
The resolution came
during the celebration known
as Juneteenth, the nation’s
oldest commemoration of the
end of slavery. Sens. Tom
Harkin (D-IA), and Senator
Sam Brownback (R-KS),
sponsored the bill;
Congressman Cohen will
sponsor the bill in the House,
which is expected to be
debated soon.
“The apology for slav
ery and the era of Jim Crow
segregation is long overdue
and is the first step toward
healing the wounds of
African-American men and
women throughout this coun
try,” stated NAACP
President and CEO Benjamin
Todd Jealous.
After making detailed
findings regarding slavery
and era of legalized segrega
tion known as “Jim Crow,”
the resolution read that the
Congress “acknowledges the
fundamental injustice, cruel
ty, brutality and inhumanity
of slavery and Jim Crow laws
and apologizes to African
Americans on behalf of the
people of the United States,
for the wrongs committed
against them and their ances
tors who suffered under slav
ery.”
The unanimous vote by
the upper chamber of
Congress comes a year after
the U.S. House of
Representatives apologized
for slavery.
The resolution admits that
Africans were "forced into
slavery" where they were
"brutalized, humiliated,
dehumanized, and subjected
to the indignity of being
stripped of their names and
heritage." And it acknowl
edges that many enslaved
families were "torn apart
after family members were
sold separately."
Although the resolution
decries the "visceral racism
against people of African
descent" that became
"enmeshed in the social fab
ric of the United States," the
nonbinding measure does not
authorize reparations for
descendants of African
American slaves.
The resolution
specifically admits that
descendants of African
American slaves "saw the
fleeting political, social, and
economic gains they made
during Reconstruction evis
cerated by virulent racism,
lynchings, disenfranchise
ment, Black Codes, and
racial segregation laws that
imposed a rigid system of
officially sanctioned racial
segregation in virtually all
areas of life."
Further, the Senate resolu
tion acknowledges that these
Jim Crow laws "officially
existed until the 1960s—a
century after the official end
of slavery in the United
States."
Slavery was abolished in
the U.S. with the ratification
of the 13 th amendment to the
Constitution in 1865. During
the Civil War, President
Lincoln had signed the
Emancipation Proclamation
abolishing slavery in states
that were in rebellion against
the federal government, but
that order had little immedi
ate effect on the vast majori
ty of slaves, who were held
in Confederate states at war
with the U.S.
"An apology for cen
turies of brutal dehumaniza
tion and injustices cannot
erase the past, but confession
of the wrongs committed and
a formal apology to African-
Americans will help bind the
wounds of the Nation that are
rooted in slavery and can
speed racial healing and rec
onciliation and help the peo
ple of the United States
understand the past and
honor the history of all peo
ple of the United States," the
resolution states.
Hall to Preach Trial Sermon at
St. Paul
Deacon Herbert Hall
will be doing his "Trial
Sermon" at St Paul
Missionary Baptist Church,
located at 624 Waters Avenue
on July 19, 2009 at 6:00 PM.
Rev James H. Terry is
the Pastor and invites one
and all to be a part of this
grand occasion in the
church's history as Deacon
Hall yields to the call of God.
Deacon Herbert Hall is
a devoted Christian at
SPMBC since the early 70's.
He is currently the Vice
Chairman of Deacons, mem
ber of Senior Choir,
Chairman of Building and
Grounds, Security Officer
and teaches the Adult Sunday
School Class.
Deacon Hall is a
retired Lieutenant from
Herbert Hall
Savannah Police Department
retired lieutenant colonel
from Georgia Air National
Guard where he was the
Commander of the 16Sth
Mobile Aerial Port Squadron.
He made history when
he became the first Afro-
American to become a com
mander within 16Sth Airlift
Wing.
Deacon Hall graduated from
Savannah State College with
a BS Degree in Sociology,
attended Georgia Southern
University where he pursued
a Graduate Degree in Public
Administration.
Deacon Hall also stud
ied and completed advanced
training at the Federal
Bureau of Investigation (FBI
Academy). He is a Certified
Classroom Instructor and did
teach classes at the Savannah
Regional police Academy.
Deacon Hall has been mar
ried to Cynthia Scruggs-Hall
since Dec 19, 1970.
He and his wife of 38
years have three children
Herbert, & Mertice,
Christopher & Thabo and
Nataile Maria, and four
grand-children-Herbert,
Makenly, Vivienne and
Elyse .
Linda B. Smart
Agent t or GA, SC
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NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC
DISADVANTAGED BUSTNESS ENTERPRISE
COAL FOR
Chatham Area Transit Authority
Savannah, Georgia
The Chatham Area Transit Authority hereby pub
lishes a proposed overall goal for its Disadvantaged
Business Enterprise (DRE) Program for FY 2010
The proposed overall goal is 3 8% for all FTA
funded projects in FY 2010. The methodology used
in developing ihis goal is available Ibr inspection
during normal business hours until Septembei 5.
2009, an he office of the Acting Grants Administra
tor, Chatham Area Transit Autiioritv, 900 Gw idnetl
St. Savannah GA 31401. The Transit Autiioritv
wilt receive and Consider public comments on the
proposed goal until September 20, 2009
Comments may be submitted to the Chatham Area
Transit Authority- at the above address.
For additional information and questions, please
contact Joanne M Ktubek at 91 2-629-3929 during
normal business hours
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