[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 4] [House] [Pages 4659-4661] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR A NATIONAL DAY OF REMEMBRANCE FOR HARRIET ROSS TUBMAN Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 310) expressing support for a national day of remembrance for Harriet Ross Tubman. The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution. The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows: H. Con. Res. 310 Whereas Harriet Ross Tubman was born into slavery in Bucktown, Maryland, in or around 1820; Whereas in 1849 she escaped to Philadelphia and became a ``conductor'' on the Underground Railroad; Whereas she was commonly referred to as ``Moses'' due to her courage and sacrifice in leading many enslaved persons out of bondage into freedom, endeavoring despite great hardship and danger of being re-enslaved; Whereas Harriet Ross Tubman became an eloquent and effective speaker on behalf of the movement to abolish slavery; Whereas during the Civil War, Harriet Ross Tubman assisted the Union Army as a cook, nurse, scout, spy, and became the first woman to lead an armed expedition in the war, leading to the liberation of more than seven hundred slaves; Whereas after the Civil War, she became active in the women's suffrage movement and continued to fight for human dignity, human rights, opportunity, and justice; Whereas in 1896, Harriet Ross Tubman purchased 25 acres of land in Auburn, New York, to create a home and hospital for indigent, aged, and sick African-Americans, which opened on June 23, 1908, as the Harriet Tubman Home for the Sick and Aged, becoming the only charity outside of New York City dedicated to the shelter and care of African-Americans in New York; Whereas in 1944 the United States Maritime Commission launched the SS Harriet Tubman (Hull Number 3032), the first Liberty ship ever named for an African-American woman; Whereas in 1978, Harriet Ross Tubman was the first honoree in the United States Postal Service Black Heritage Stamp Series; Whereas the Episcopal Church has designated Harriet Ross Tubman a saint in its Book of Common Prayer; Whereas Harriet Ross Tubman, whose courageous and dedicated pursuit of the promise of American ideals and common principles of humanity continues to serve and inspire all people who cherish freedom, died at her home in Auburn, New York, on March 10, 1913; Whereas March 10, 1990, was designated as Harriet Ross Tubman Day and States such as Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, New York, and Texas host annual celebrations that honor the life of Harriet Tubman; and Whereas we support honoring the contributions of Harriet Ross Tubman annually on March 10: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That the Congress-- (1) supports the designation of a national day of remembrance for Harriet Ross Tubman; and (2) encourages the people of the United States to support and participate in appropriate ceremonies, programs, and other activities to commemorate a national day of remembrance for Harriet Ross Tubman. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Davis) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois. General Leave Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Illinois? There was no objection. Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume. As a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I am pleased to join my colleagues in the consideration of H. Con. Res. 310, which seeks to honor the life of Harriet Tubman and acknowledge the many sacrifices she made on behalf of freedom and the inalienable rights of all men and women. She was a steadfast warrior for the values which we cherish today: freedom, justice, and equality for all. Without her, these values would not have been enjoyed by the dozens of African Americans that she rescued from slavery, in addition to many more that she helped by her unwavering commitment to emancipation. {time} 1345 H. Con. Res. 310 was introduced by Representative Elijah Cummings of Maryland on March 5, 2008, and was considered by and reported from the Oversight Committee on March 13, 2008, by voice vote. The measure has the support of over 60 Members of Congress and provides our body a collective opportunity to recognize and pay tribute to a woman who dedicated her life to ensuring equality and freedom, which stand at the foundation of our country, were afforded to all of its citizens, including those enslaved in the South. Harriet Tubman was born Araminta Ross in 1820 to Harriet ``Rit'' Green and Ben Ross, a slave couple from Dorchester County, Maryland. From an early age, it was evident that Harriet Tubman was willing to put her life on the line to assist African Americans in escaping that peculiar institution we know as slavery. At 12 years old, she suffered a traumatic blow to the head from her overseer when she refused to help restrain a slave who was escaping. Due to the head injury she sustained, Harriet was plagued for the rest of her life with violent seizures and spells of unconsciousness. Yet despite these ailments, Harriet Tubman continued to press on. In 1849 Harriet Tubman managed to escape from the plantation she worked on, located in the eastern part of Maryland. On her first trip up north, Tubman made great use out of the Underground Railroad and crossed over 90 miles to reach her final destination of Pennsylvania. Because of the dangers that lined every step of her journey, she had to travel at night, using the North Star for guidance. When she reached Philadelphia, she recalled that it felt like she was in heaven. Yet the memory of her family still in bondage caused Harriet to leave ``heaven'' and voluntarily return to the land of her enslavement. After the decision to save her family, she spent the majority of her life bringing individuals out of slavery by way of the Underground Railroad. In fact, Tubman became known as Moses because of her relentless efforts to aid more and more African American slaves out of captivity. For 11 years Harriet Tubman risked her life to free over 70 slaves and their families. She also served as a Union spy during the Civil War and assisted abolitionist John Brown in recruiting men for the raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859. In the post-war era, Tubman devoted her efforts towards the women's suffrage movement up until her death in 1913. In a letter to honor her memory, Frederick Douglass wrote: ``Excepting John Brown, of sacred memory, I know of no one who has willingly encountered more perils and hardships to serve our enslaved people than she has.'' [[Page 4660]] Madam Speaker, let us honor this true patriot for the courage and tenacity that she has shown in the face of great danger and great adversity. Harriet Tubman deserves our utmost respect and gratitude for her unconquerable valor, her harrowing dedication, and her unshakable faith all in the name of freedom. Therefore, I urge swift passage of H. Con. Res. 310. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of this resolution honoring Harriet Tubman. Madam Speaker, Harriet Tubman is an American icon. She exemplified the ideals of courage, loyalty, and commitment in the face of adversity. After escaping from slavery in 1849, she immediately returned to Maryland at great personal risk to rescue her family members and others still bound in slavery. Some of the houses she used to stow escaped slaves are but a few miles from this very Chamber. Over the course of her years as the self-described ``conductor'' of the Underground Railroad, Tubman led 13 missions into Maryland and rescued more than 70 slaves. She didn't stop with leading slaves to freedom. She also helped them find jobs, founded a community in Canada where freed slaves could be safe from fugitive slave laws, and later opened a home for elderly African Americans. Tubman played an integral role in the 1859 raid on Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. She helped John Brown contact freed slaves and garnered support from other abolitionists and sympathizers in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware. As a member of the Union Army during the Civil War, Tubman became the first woman in American history to lead an armed expedition. When slavery finally ended in the United States, she turned her considerable talents and energies towards the women's suffrage movement. She represented all that is great about America: the ability, the will, and the wherewithal to do that which is right and, more importantly, to do it for precisely that reason. Madam Speaker, I want to thank Mr. Cummings for introducing this resolution, and I thank Mr. Davis for helping us shepherd this through the committee, and I urge its adoption. Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Con. Res. 310: Expressing support for a national day of remembrance for Harriet Ross Tubman. I wish to thank Representative Cummings for sponsoring this important legislation. Harriet Tubman was a remarkable woman, whose courage, struggle and dedication inspires respect and awe. It is appropriate that the Episcopal Church honors her as a saint. Born into slavery, Harriet Ross did not know her exact date of birth. At the age of 12 years she refused to help a white overseer bind a recaptured slave. For her refusal she was hit in the head with a heavy rock; this injury was severe and its effects would plague her for the rest of her life. At the age of 30 Harriet Tubman would make her escape from slavery to Canada by way of Philadelphia where she met William Stills and learned about the workings of the Underground Railroad. Tubman would go on to free hundreds from slavery and became known as ``Moses'' for her incredible bravery and sacrifice as she led the way to freedom as a ``conductor'' on the Underground Railroad. Harriet was a dedicated and outspoken member of the abolitionist movement. During the Civil War she provided services as a nurse, cook, scout and spy for the Union Army, but was refused payment for her wartime service. She became an active member of the women's suffrage movement and went on to establish the Harriet Tubman Home for the Sick and Aged in Auburn, NY, in 1908. She worked to maintain this home, the only one of its kind outside of New York City, dedicated to the care and sanctuary of African-Americans in New York. Harriet Tubman was a true heroine. I encourage the designation of a national day of remembrance to celebrate her life. I urge my colleagues to join me in support of H. Con. Res. 310. Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House Concurrent Resolution 310, expressing support for a national day of remembrance for Harriet Ross Tubman. I am proud to be a co-sponsor of this resolution which recognizes the courage and sacrifice with which Harriet Tubman led slaves out of bondage and into freedom. Her work was an important part of moving the U.S. toward a more perfect Union. As an African-American woman who had been emotionally and physically abused by her owners, Harriet Tubman did the near impossible by freeing herself from a life of slavery. She also had the courage to continue on and help others, guiding hundreds of slaves out of abuse and fear and into freedom and respectful employment. Harriet Tubman not only fought against the most immediate inequalities experienced by African-American slaves, but reached out further, becoming active in the women's suffrage movement. While the Civil War has long since ended and slavery been abolished, many Americans continue to be enslaved by new forms of abuse and discrimination. Domestic violence and economic inequality imprison many today in fear and submission. Thankfully, Harriet Tubman's actions continue to inspire Americans to find the courage to help each other. In Minnesota, her legacy is alive in the activities of the Tubman Family Alliance agency, which provides safe passage from violence for women and children, and helps them achieve their own freedom, just as Harriet Tubman helped so many people achieve freedom. It is critical that we remember the courage with which this woman selflessly strove to help others despite the risk of enslavement and death. We must recognize and strive to emulate such bravery not just once a year, but all year. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important resolution. Mr. TOWNS. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 310, expressing support for a national day of remembrance for Harriet Ross Tubman. During the month of March, when we celebrate Women's History Month across the nation, it is important that we recognize and celebrate the immeasurable contributions of women such as Harriet Tubman, who bravely led our Nation in the abolitionist movement, taking enormous risks in her fight for the freedom and equality of all Americans. Harriet Tubman was not only an abolitionist, leading more than 700 slaves to freedom, but served nobly in the Union Army during the Civil War as the first female to head an armed expedition. Following her accomplishments in the Civil War, Harriet Tubman went on to be a leader in the women's suffrage movement, diligently fighting for women's right to vote, and founded the Harriet Tubman Home for the Sick and Aged, a home and hospital to care for elderly and ailing African-Americans in New York. Her bravery and dedication to the principles of freedom and equality serve as a positive example to us today, as we continue working together to provide quality education, healthcare, housing, and opportunity to all Americans, regardless of race, gender or income. Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Con. Res. 310, expressing support for a national day of remembrance for Harriet Ross Tubman, introduced by my distinguished colleague from Maryland, Representative Cummings. Harriet Ross Tubman was an African-American abolitionist, humanitarian, and Union Spy during the United States Civil War and as such deserves to be honored for her brave service by members of the United States Congress. Harriet Tubman was born into slavery in Dorchester County, Maryland, of purely African ancestry. Harriet Tubman was born Araminta ``Minty'' Ross to slave parents, Harriet ``Rit'' Green and Ben Ross. Rit was owned by Mary Pattison Brodess and later her son Edward, while Ben was legally owned by Mary's second husband, Anthony Thompson, who ran a large plantation near the Blackwater River in Dorchester County, Maryland. Tubman was beaten and whipped often by her various owners as a child. Early in life she suffered a traumatic head wound when an irate slave owner threw a heavy metal weight at her, intending to hit another slave. The injury caused disabling seizures, headaches, and powerful visionary and dream activity, and spells of hypersomnia which occurred throughout her entire life. In 1849, Tubman became ill, and her value as a slave was diminished as a result. Edward Brodess tried to sell her but could not find a buyer. Angry at this effort and the unjust hold he kept on her relatives, Tubman began to pray for her owner, asking God to make him change his ways. After her sell was considered finalized she `switched' tactics on how she was praying and one week later Brodess died. Tubman expressed regret for her earlier sentiments. Ironically, Brodess's death increased the likelihood that Tubman would be sold and the family would be broken apart. [[Page 4661]] Tubman refused to wait for the Brodess' family to decide her fate, despite her husband's efforts to dissuade her. ``There was one of two things I had a right to,'' she says, ``liberty or death; if I could not have one, I would have the other.'' Harriet Tubman was given a piece of paper by a white neighbor with two names, and told how to find her path to freedom. In 1849, Tubman escaped to Philadelphia. At the first house she was put into a wagon, covered with a sack, and driven to her next destination. Following the paper in route to Pennsylvania, she initially settled in Philadelphia, where she met William Still, the Philadelphia Stationmaster on the Underground Railroad. With the assistance of Still, and other members of the Philadelphia Anti-Slavery Society, she learned about the workings of the UGRR. She immediately returned to rescue her family. Slowly, one group at a time she brought relatives with her out of state, and eventually guided dozens of other slaves to freedom. Traveling by night with extreme caution, Tubman never lost a passenger. Heavy rewards were offered for many of the people she helped free, but no one knew it was Harriet Tubman who was helping them. When a far-reaching United States Fugitive Slave Law was passed in 1850, she helped guide fugitives further north into Canada, and helped newly- freed slaves find work. In 1851 she began relocating members of her family to St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada West. North Street in St. Catharines remained her base of operations until 1857. While there she worked various odd jobs to finance her activities as a Conductor on the UGRR, and attended the Salem Chapel BME Church on Geneva Street. Word of her exploits had encouraged her family, and biographers agree that she became more confident with each trip to Maryland. As she led more and more individuals out of slavery, she became popularly known as ``Moses''--an allusion to the prophet in the book of Exodus who led the Hebrews to freedom. When the American Civil War broke out in 1861, Tubman saw a Union victory as a key step toward the abolition of slavery. Tubman hoped to offer her own expertise and skills to the Union cause, too, and soon she joined a group of Boston and Philadelphia abolitionists heading to the Hilton Head District in South Carolina. She became a fixture in the camps, particularly in Port Royal, South Carolina, assisting fugitives. Tubman worked for the Union Army, first as a cook and nurse, and then as an armed scout and spy. The first woman to lead an armed expedition in the war, she guided the raid on the Combahee River, which liberated more than seven hundred slaves. Harriet Tubman, widely known and well-respected while she was alive, became an American icon in the years after her death. In all she is believed to have conducted approximately 300 persons to freedom in the North. The tales of her exploits reveal her highly spiritual nature, as well as a grim determination to protect her charges and those who aided them. She always expressed confidence that God would aid her efforts, and threatened to shoot any of her charges who thought to turn back. When she died, Tubman was buried with military honors at Fort Hill Cemetery in Auburn. Today, I seek to offer my condolences for her death, and also recognize her lifetime of accomplishments. For these reasons, I strongly support H. Con. Res. 310 and urge all my colleagues to do the same. Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the House Congress Resolution 310. Resolution 310 proposes a national day of remembrance for Harriet Ross Tubman, a fearless champion for civil rights. Harriet Ross Tubman was a pioneer to say the least. For the better part of a decade, Tubman made over 13 trips South to escort more than 300 hundred slaves to freedom. With no regard to her own well being, she sacrificed her own safety, so that countless other slaves could have the opportunity to realize and experience freedom, a right supposedly enshrined in our Constitution. Tubman was not merely a woman of steadfast conviction, principle and determination, but a hero and savior to those people who often had no hope. I am deeply humbled and inspired by her courage and bravery in the face of remarkable adversity. Harriet Tubman was a woman of unyielding principle, unparalleled courage and sheer grit. Therefore, I stand here today advocating House Congress Resolution 310 supporting the creation of a national day of remembrance for Harriet Tubman, a woman that inspires us all to stand and fight for freedom. Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 310. The question was taken. The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it. Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays. The yeas and nays were ordered. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be postponed. ____________________