Rep. Adriano Espaillat Introduces Resolution Honoring Fight Against Slavery in the Americas

Press Release

Today, Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) introduced a resolution recognizing the first revolt of enslaved people in the Americas, when Africans revolted against colonial powers in the Caribbean -- the Santo Domingo Slave Revolt of Dec. 26, 1521, starting at a sugar plantation owned by Diego Columbus, the son of Christopher Columbus.

"Historians believe the Santo Domingo Slave Revolt -- the first revolt of enslaved people in the Americas -- took place on Dec. 26, 1521, when enslaved people marched over sixty miles in an attempt to reach freedom," said Rep. Espaillat. "I am introducing this resolution to ensure that history remembers each of these men, women, and children as the valiant warriors they were -- who carried with them a spirit of unwavering resistance and an overt rejection of oppression.

"This resolution serves as a stark reminder that our nation's civil rights movement was a continuation of the work of the ancestors who came before us more than 500 years ago -- their struggle, their courage, and their unwavering fight for true freedom for all. It remains incumbent on each of us to enshrine this history into the fabric of our nation so that it will inspire future generations."

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