2021 -- H 6450

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2021

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

PROCLAIMING JUNE TO BE CARIBBEAN AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH IN THE

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND CELEBRATING THE IMMENSE CONTRIBUTIONS

CARIBBEAN AMERICANS HAVE MADE TO THE UNITED STATES

     Introduced By: Representatives Ranglin-Vassell, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Filippi,
Henries, Morales, Shallcross Smith, Perez, Cassar, and Kennedy

     Date Introduced: June 22, 2021

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, Caribbean American Heritage Month has been celebrated annually in June

with proclamations from the President of the United States and the United States Congress

honoring the extraordinary achievements and contributions Caribbean immigrants and their

descendants have made to the United States; and

     WHEREAS, People of Caribbean heritage are found throughout the United States in

every state and as of 2018, approximately 13.2 million people, with most coming from Puerto

Rico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, the Bahamas

and the United States Virgin Islands; and

     WHEREAS, Immigrants from the Caribbean first arrived in the American Colonies in

1619, when indentured servants were brought to Jamestown, Virginia. Throughout the 17th, 18th

and 19th centuries, many enslaved people were brought to the Americas from Africa; and

     WHEREAS, Immigrants from the Caribbean have enriched the United States in all walks

of life, from the arts and music to journalism, literature, athletics, fashion, the sciences, the

culinary industry, the military and a wide array of other fields of importance to our nation; and

     WHEREAS, The list of notable and influential Caribbean Americans is far too large to

list, but of particular prominence are Vice President Kamala Harris, Supreme Court Justice Sonia

Sotomayor, Secretary of State General Colin Powell, Founding Father, Alexander Hamilton,

noted journalist Malcolm Gladwell, the first African American Attorney General Eric Holder,

celebrated actors Sidney Poitier, Harry Belafonte, baseball superstar Roberto Clemente, and

Shirley Chisholm, the first African American Congresswoman, and first African American

woman candidate for President; and

     WHEREAS, Caribbean Americans have played an active and important role in our

nation’s history, most significantly in the quest for social, racial, economic and environmental

justice for all Americans and all of humanity; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby

proclaims June to be Caribbean American Heritage Month in the State of Rhode Island and

celebrates the immense contributions Caribbean Americans have made to the United States; and

be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Ms. Claire Alicia Nelson, Ph.D., Institute of

Caribbean Studies.

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