Bill Text: FL S0974 | 2020 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Jean-Jacques Dessalines Day
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2020-03-14 - Died in Judiciary [S0974 Detail]
Download: Florida-2020-S0974-Introduced.html
Florida Senate - 2020 SM 974
By Senator Pizzo
38-01012-20 2020974__
1 Senate Memorial
2 A memorial to the Congress of the United States,
3 urging Congress to recognize October 17 as Jean
4 Jacques Dessalines Day.
5
6 WHEREAS, Jean-Jacques Dessalines, regarded as one of the
7 founding fathers of Haiti, is celebrated as a leader who fought
8 for and attained freedom for Haiti’s people, and
9 WHEREAS, as a military leader during the Haitian
10 Revolution, Dessalines went on to serve as the first ruler of an
11 independent Haiti under the 1805 constitution, and
12 WHEREAS, the generals of the Haitian Revolution Army
13 proclaimed Dessalines as the Emperor of Haiti in 1804, crowning
14 him as Emperor Jacques I, and
15 WHEREAS, under Dessalines, Haiti became the first country
16 in the Americas to permanently abolish slavery, and
17 WHEREAS, Dessalines served as emperor until his
18 assassination during a military revolt on October 17, 1806, the
19 anniversary of which is celebrated in Haiti as Dessalines Day,
20 NOW, THEREFORE,
21
22 Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
23
24 That the Congress of the United States is urged to
25 recognize October 17 as Jean-Jacques Dessalines Day.
26 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of State dispatch
27 copies of this memorial to the President of the United States,
28 the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the
29 United States House of Representatives, and each member of the
30 Florida delegation to the United States Congress.
