119-hres688

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 688 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
H. RES. 688

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that there should 
 be established a ``National African Immigrant Heritage Month'' in 
September to celebrate the great contributions of Americans of African 
 immigrant heritage in the United States who have enriched the history 
 of the Nation.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 September 9, 2025

 Mr. Torres of New York (for himself and Ms. Clarke of New York) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
 on Oversight and Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

 RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that there should 
 be established a ``National African Immigrant Heritage Month'' in 
September to celebrate the great contributions of Americans of African 
 immigrant heritage in the United States who have enriched the history 
 of the Nation.

Whereas people of African immigrant heritage are found in every State of the 
 Union;
Whereas the history of Americans of African immigrant heritage in the United 
 States is inextricably tied to the story of the Nation;
Whereas the community of Americans of African immigrant heritage in the United 
 States is an inherently diverse population hailing from every African 
 country where up to 2,000 languages are spoken on the continent;
Whereas Americans of African immigrant heritage in the United States come from 
 all regions in Africa and do not constitute a homogeneous group, 
 including people from different national, linguistic, ethnic, racial, 
 cultural, religious, and social backgrounds;
Whereas African immigrants have made significant contributions to American 
 culture such as having high educational and income levels, as well as 
 contributing to many areas of American life such as the military, health 
 care, arts, education, community service, and public policy;
Whereas raising awareness about African immigrant heritage is crucial to 
 effectively fighting disparities within the greater Black population in 
 the American narrative and is essential to building a stronger community 
 and a stronger America;
Whereas, during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a significant number of 
 enslaved people from the Africa region were brought to the United 
 States;
Whereas one of the first voluntary African immigrant groups came from Cape Verde 
 and settled in the United States in the 1790s;
Whereas, in 1820, free and formerly enslaved African Americans began to resettle 
 in Liberia, creating an enduring relationship between the 2 countries;
Whereas the independence movements in many countries in Africa during the 1960s 
 and the consequential establishment of independent democratic countries 
 in Africa strengthened ties between the region and the United States;
Whereas, in the 1960s to 1970s, due to the more racially inclusive provisions of 
 the Immigration and Nationality Act, more African immigrants from across 
 the continent came to the United States primarily as students;
Whereas, in the 1980s and 1990s, Africans in the United States were primarily 
 refugees, who were fleeing hardships from countries such as Ethiopia, 
 Liberia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, and Sudan;
Whereas, in the 2000s, Africans in the United States were the largest 
 beneficiaries of the highly popular Department of State program known as 
 the Diversity Visa Lottery program;
Whereas restrictive immigration policies in the late 2010s and 2020s, such as 
 the Muslim and Africa bans, suspension of the Diversity Visa program, 
 and changes to the United States Refugee Admissions Program, had a 
 negative impact on African immigration to the United States;
Whereas, much like the United States, the countries in Africa faced obstacles of 
 in-country slavery and colonialism and struggled for independence;
Whereas the 44th President of the United States, Barack Hussein Obama, is of 
 Kenyan descent;
Whereas the countries in Africa are important economic partners of the United 
 States;
Whereas the people of Africa share the hopes and aspirations of the people of 
 the United States for peace and prosperity throughout the world, but 
 there remains much to be done to ensure that Americans of African 
 immigrant heritage have access to resources and a voice in the United 
 States Government and continue to advance in the political, social, and 
 economic landscape of the United States; and
Whereas celebrating ``National African Immigrant Heritage Month'' in September 
 would provide the people of the United States with an opportunity to 
 recognize the achievements, contributions, and history of and to 
 appreciate the challenges faced by Americans of African immigrant 
 heritage: Now, therefore, be it
 Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives 
that--

    (1) a ``National African Immigrant Heritage Month'' should 
 be established to celebrate the significant contributions of 
 Americans of African immigrant heritage to the history of the 
 United States; and

    (2) the people of the United States should observe the 
 month with appropriate ceremonies, celebrations, and activities 
 to recognize that Americans of African immigrant heritage 
 enhance the rich diversity of and strengthen the United States.
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