SJ0031 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SJ0031 LRB094 11683 HSS 43377 r

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Approximately 4,000,000 Africans and their descendants were enslaved in the United States and colonies that became the United States from 1619 to 1865; and

WHEREAS, The institution of slavery was constitutionally and statutorily sanctioned by the Government of the United States from 1789 through 1865; and

WHEREAS, The slavery that flourished in the United States constituted an immoral and inhumane deprivation of Africans' life, liberty, African citizenship rights, and cultural heritage, and denied them the fruits of their own labor; and

WHEREAS, Sufficient inquiry has not been made into the effects of the institution of slavery on living African-Americans and society in the United States; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that there is established the Commission to Study the Transatlantic Slave Trade and its Past and Present Effects on African-Americans (hereinafter referred to as the Commission); and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Commission shall perform the following duties:

(1) Examine the institution of slavery which existed within the United States and the colonies that became the United States from 1619 through 1865; the Commission's examination shall include an examination of:

(A) the capture and procurement of Africans;

(B) the transport of Africans to the United States and the colonies that became the United States for the purpose of enslavement, including their treatment during transport;

(C) the sale and acquisition of Africans as chattel property in interstate and intrastate commerce; and

(D) the treatment of African slaves in the colonies and the United States, including the deprivation of their freedom, exploitation of their labor, and destruction of their culture, language, religion, and families;

(2) Examine the extent to which the Federal and State governments of the United States supported the institution of slavery in constitutional and statutory provisions, including the extent to which such governments prevented, opposed, or restricted efforts of freed African slaves to repatriate to their homeland;

(3) Examine Federal and State laws that discriminated against freed African slaves and their descendants during the period between the end of the Civil War and the present;

(4) Examine other forms of discrimination in the public and private sectors against freed African slaves and their descendants during the period between the end of the Civil War and the present;

(5) Examine the lingering negative effects of the institution of slavery and the matters described in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4) on living African-Americans and on society in the United States;

(6) Recommend appropriate ways to educate the general public of the Commission's findings;

(7) Examine whether African-Americans still suffer from the lingering effects of the matters described in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4); and be it further

RESOLVED, That the members of the Commission shall include the President of the Senate or his or her designee and the Speaker of the House of Representatives or his or her designee, each serving as co-chairpersons, the Governor or his or her designee, one vice-chairperson appointed by each of the co-chairpersons, and 25 appointed members, with the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Minority Leader of the Senate, and the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives appointing 5 members each; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the appointed members shall be from diverse backgrounds so as to reflect the diverse citizenry of Illinois working together, and that their individual qualifications shall include varying educational, professional, and civic experiences that bring different perspectives and cooperative outlooks to the Commission; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Commission shall broaden outreach by using established channels, including publicly-supported media and electronic, computer-assisted communication systems, and elicit voluntary assistance from educational, legal, civic, and professional organizations and institutions as well as notable individuals; and be it further

RESOLVED, That no later than December 1, 2006, the Commission shall report to the General Assembly, the Governor, and the general public on its activities, accomplishments, and recommendations; and that the Commission shall be dissolved after the filing of this report; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be delivered to the Governor of the State of Illinois.