The land where Sienna, TX, now sits was once part of the notoriously brutal sugar plantation known as the “Arcola Plantation,” where enslaved people endured grueling labor and high mortality. 7 days until SRD. Watch the live stream Saturday: facebook.com/repalgreen #CountDowntoSRD
Entities in 19th century Sugarland used slavery and involuntary servitude to supply the often deadly labor necessary to grow sugar. SRD honors those who were forced to labor under these conditions. 10 days til SRD. Sign up to attend here: tinyurl.com/4343mzj4 #CountDowntoSRD
On Aug. 11, 1841, Frederick Douglass delivered his first anti-slavery speech in Nantucket, Massachusetts. The address marked the beginning of a career as a leading voice for abolition and human rights. 10 days til SRD. Sign up to attend here: tinyurl.com/4343mzj4 #CountDowntoSRD
In Aug. 2022, H.R.517 passed the House, supporting designation of Aug. 20 as Slavery Remembrance Day. Our ceremony commemorates the enslaved who built our nation and endured unimaginable suffering. 11 days til SRD. Sign up to attend here: tinyurl.com/4343mzj4 #CountDowntoSRD
On March 3, 2025, I introduced H.J.Res.67 to designate August as Slavery Remembrance Month. It’s time we honor the freedom fighters and reflect on the legacy of the enslaved. 12 days til Slavery Remembrance Day. Sign up to attend here: tinyurl.com/4343mzj4 #CountDowntoSRD
@algreen.house.gov's #SlaveryRemembranceDay is August 20th.
"... [ #SRD] is intended...to commemorate the victims of #slavery..."
"Such a day of remembrance would prevent the evils of slavery from fading from our collective memory so as to prevent it from ever happening again."
#CountDowntoSRD
In July 1868, the 14th Amendment to the Constitution granted citizenship and equal rights to formerly enslaved Black Americans. Yet today, targeted racial gerrymandering and illegal voter suppression threaten those rights. 22 days until Slavery Remembrance Day. #CountDowntoSRD
In 1924, the Temporary Slavery Commission appointed by the League of Nations called for an end to chattel slavery and the slave trade. This led to the 1926 Slavery Convention, a treaty to advance the suppression of slavery. 26 days until Slavery Remembrance Day. #CountDowntoSRD
In July 1863, Camp William Penn opened in Cheltenham Township, PA, as the first & largest federal training camp for Black soldiers in the Civil War. Over 11,000 formerly enslaved and free Black men trained to fight for freedom. 41 days til Slavery Remembrance Day. #CountdownToSRD
On July 4th, we celebrate independence while remembering that in 1776, liberation was not granted to all. Millions remained enslaved, denied the very liberty this nation declared. True liberation includes justice for all. 47 days til Slavery Remembrance Day. #CountdowntoSRD
In late June of 1865, days after Juneteenth, freed people in Texas faced violent backlash including being stolen and sold back into bondage. The Freedmen’s Bureau agents worked to protect and support their hard-fought freedom. 55 days til Slavery Remembrance Day. #CountdowntoSRD
On June 5, 1865, Black Union soldiers of the 25th Army Corps arrived in Galveston, spreading the news of freedom to the enslaved. On June 19, Gen. Granger issued Gen. Order 3, enforcing emancipation in Texas. 62 days until Slavery Remembrance Day. #HappyJuneteenth #CountdowntoSRD
The Emancipation Proclamation still left many persons enslaved. Delaware and Kentucky did not end slavery until the ratification of the 13th Amendment in December of 1865. Freedom came by federal law, not a moral conscience. 63 days til Slavery Remembrance Day. #CountdowntoSRD
The Juneteenth flag symbolizes liberation. The star marks Texas, where the enslaved were freed in Galveston in 1865. The arc is a new horizon, and the red, white & blue colors affirm that the enslaved are American. 64 days to Slavery Remembrance Day. #CountdowntoSRD
100 years after the Emancipation Proclamation, Black Americans were still denied civil rights. In June of 1963, Pres. John F. Kennedy called civil rights “a moral issue.” JFK reminds us, freedom without equality isn’t justice. 69 days til Slavery Remembrance Day. #CountdowntoSRD
In 1872, formerly enslaved people purchased what is now Emancipation Park in Houston’s Third Ward. It remains one of many historic landmarks deeply rooted in Black resistance, resilience, and the pursuit of freedom. 70 Days til Slavery Remembrance Day #CountdowntoSRD
Florida marked emancipation on May 20, 1865, and became the second state to observe Juneteenth in 1991. Both dates hold deep significance in honoring the emancipation and legacy of enslaved people. 72 days to Slavery Remembrance Day. #CountdowntoSRD
The late, great Texas Rep. Al Edwards championed the legislation that made Juneteenth a Texas state holiday, recognizing its place in American history. His tireless advocacy laid the foundation for its national recognition. 74 Days to Slavery Remembrance Day. #CountdowntoSRD
“Lift Every Voice & Sing" isn't just a song; it's an historical testament recounting the harrowing journey from slavery to freedom. It reminds us of the resilience that carried generations through unimaginable darkness. 75 days to Slavery Remembrance Day #CountdowntoSRD
Jazz stems from the field hollers and work songs of enslaved Africans during the Civil War era, expressing pain, hope, and resilience. The creativity of African rhythms and spirituality helped shape the soul of American music. 77 days to Slavery Remembrance Day. #CountdownToSRD
Born on June 3, 1887, to a formerly enslaved mother, Roland Hayes was the first African American concert performer to achieve international fame, captivating audiences across the U.S. and Europe and inspiring other Black artists. 78 Days to Slavery Remembrance Day. #CountDowntoSRD
On June 2, 1875, James Augustine Healy, born enslaved, was consecrated as the first Black Catholic Bishop of Portland, Maine. He defied racial and religious power structures to claim a role never meant for the enslaved. 79 days until Slavery Remembrance Day. #CountDowntoSRD
In May of 1851, Sojourner Truth delivered her iconic “Ain’t I a Woman?” speech at the Ohio Women’s Convention, demanding equal rights for women and African Americans. 82 days until Slavery Remembrance Day. #CountDowntoSRD
On May 28, 1830, Pres. Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act, forcing tens of thousands of Native Americans west in an event now known as the Trail of Tears. The land seized enabled the expansion of slavery. 84 days until Slavery Remembrance Day.
#CountdownToSRD
This Memorial Day, we honor all the men and women who sacrificed their lives in service to our country, including the many thousands of enslaved people whose fight for freedom helped shape the Civil War and end slavery. 86 days til Slavery Remembrance Day. #CountDowntoSRD
In 1861, three enslaved men escaped to Ft. Monroe seeking freedom. A Union general refused to return them, calling them “contraband of war.” Later, thousands of freedom seekers sought refuge there in the fight for emancipation. 89 days til Slavery Remembrance Day. #CountDowntoSRD
Blanche Kelso Bruce, born enslaved in Virginia, became the first African American to serve as the Register of the U.S. Treasury on May 21, 1881. His signature was the first of a Black American to appear on U.S. currency.
91 days until Slavery Remembrance Day. #CountDowntoSRD
