Caribbean American Heritage Month
Floor Speech
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Ms. PLASKETT. Madam Speaker, today I rise in recognition of Caribbean American Heritage Month. This June, we acknowledge and celebrate our diverse Caribbean-American contributions to this Nation's history for the 17th year.
Personally, I am so proud of my Caribbean lineage and want to honor the universal pride that all Caribbean people share across the United States.
Historically, Caribbean Americans have been key players in the development, growth, and richness of this country.
Originally entering the United States in bondage, Caribbean people endured the brutalities of chattel slavery for centuries but fought for and attained liberation.
My home, the Virgin Islands of the United States, and Haiti are the only two places to organize a slave revolt that led to successful freedom from that revolt in the history of the Western Hemisphere.
Caribbean-American history is one of struggle and of triumph. Descendants of these heroes and heroines would later search for greater opportunities here on the mainland, as well as elsewhere.
Wherever we have gone, we have led to become pioneers and revolutionaries of our times. Some of the most influential Caribbean- American figures have indisputably driven change and progress in this Nation and continuously aid in its endeavors to achieve freedom and prosperity.
Our unique and colorful cultures, traditions, and stories have enriched and helped transform U.S. history such as the invaluable contributions in government, academia, athletics, business, the arts and sciences, and so many more which have shaped the fabric of this Nation.
Members of our leadership, such as Colin Powell, a descendant of Jamaican parents, who shattered racial barriers as the first Black National Security Advisor, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Secretary of State. The son of Jamaican immigrants, Powell was a dedicated Army general, awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom twice, following in the footsteps of the first notable Caribbean American, Alexander Hamilton.
Susan Rice, Shirley Chisholm, and, of course, our present Vice President, Kamala Harris, all share Caribbean heritage and have served this country as political figures. We honor them and the legacy they have left.
Journalists like Karine Jean-Pierre, who is the first Black and Caribbean American ever to become a press secretary for a U.S. President, and others such as Joy Reid, Yamiche Alcindor, and Abby Phillip are Caribbean-American women who continue to disrupt the media by uplifting and amplifying Black voices.
Our contributions are not limited to those within the rule of law. Caribbean Americans have a long history of social activists, free thinkers, and revolutionaries.
Everyone recalls Denmark Vesey who led the slave revolt in South Carolina, a free man who died to free others.
Hubert Harrison, a fellow Virgin Islander and New Yorker who was often left in the shadows, was considered the father of Harlem radicalism.
Men like Malcolm X, whose mother was from Grenada; Marcus Garvey of Jamaica; Kwame Ture, formerly known as Stokely Carmichael, founder of the Black Panthers, was from Trinidad; and James Wendell Johnson, who wrote ``Lift Every Voice and Sing,'' whose family was from the Bahamas, all played crucial roles in the civil rights movement, and they left lasting impacts on this country.
The Caribbean-American experience has inspired countless works of art. A people rich in imagination, they are continuously at the forefront of exceptional and innovative artistic expression.
Jean-Michel Basquiat, a Haitian of Puerto Rican descent, was a leading figure in the neo-expressionism movement.
Musicians and actors such as Harry Belafonte, Cicely Tyson, and Hazel Scott are visionaries in their field.
We continue to credit much of our scientific advancements to individuals such as Neil deGrasse Tyson, who everybody looks to and applauds, the son of a beautiful Puerto Rican sister, a renowned astrophysicist, author, and science communicator, recognized for his ``extraordinary role in exciting the public about the wonders of science.''
In athletics, an abundance of individuals have had monumental success and shown grace and leadership, such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, a son of Caribbean immigrants.
Two other athletes, in particular, that I cannot stop mentioning from the Virgin Islands are: Tim Duncan and Aliyah Boston.
This month provides an opportunity to reflect on the past, act in the present, and envision the future. We applaud Caribbean American Heritage Month.
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