Establishing a National Slavery Remembrance Day and Posthumously Awarding a Congressional Gold Medal to Enslaved Americans

WHEREAS, The transatlantic slave trade and the institution of slavery were foundational to the economic, cultural, and political development of the United States, and have inflicted generational harm on Black communities across centuries; and

WHEREAS, August 20, 1619, marks the arrival of the first recorded enslaved Africans in English- speaking North America, and stands as a solemn historical milestone representing the beginning of centuries of dehumanization, violence, and exploitation; and

WHEREAS, There remains no federally recognized day of remembrance specifically dedicated to honoring those who endured the horrors of slavery, nor a national effort to publicly commemorate their humanity, resilience, and contribution to the formation of the nation; and

WHEREAS, Enslaved people laid the literal and economic foundations of the country, from infrastructure to agriculture to domestic labor, and their unrecognized labor and suffering produced generational wealth for others while leaving a legacy of systemic inequality.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the NAACP supports the establishment of August 20 as a federally recognized Slavery Remembrance Day to serve as a day of reflection, education, and national acknowledgment of the enduring impact of slavery in American life.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NAACP supports the posthumous awarding of a Congressional Gold Medal to all formerly enslaved African people in America to be housed and displayed at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. in recognition of their forced sacrifices and foundational role in building the United States; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NAACP affirms all prior resolutions for reparations for slavery and will advocate for federal legislation that formally acknowledges the history of slavery in this country.

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the NAACP will work to ensure the public remembrance of those who endured slavery, so that future generations may better understand and confront the ongoing legacy of racial injustice.