Restoring the promise of freedom: honoring, preserving, and investing in Freedmen's Settlements.

Bill Number

H.Res. 173

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-02-27: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Last Updated

2025-03-26T08:06:41Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

H. Res. 173 is a non-binding House resolution aimed at honoring the history of freedmen's settlements—historic communities established by free and formerly enslaved African Americans after emancipation. It seeks to recognize their resilience, acknowledge historical injustices like racial violence and economic discrimination, and encourage federal, state, and local efforts to preserve, invest in, and protect these communities from ongoing threats such as environmental hazards, gentrification, and divestment.

Key Provisions Outlined

The resolution consists of extensive "Whereas" clauses providing historical and current context, followed by 12 specific affirmations in the "Resolved" section. Key elements include:

• Historical Recognition: Affirms that racial justice efforts did not end with emancipation on Juneteenth (June 19, 1865), and honors the community-building efforts of African Americans despite post-Civil War terror and repression.
• Preservation Support: Encourages comprehensive documentation using oral histories, records, and physical commemorations to preserve settlement sites.
• Investment and Economic Justice: Calls for designated funding for historic preservation, economic initiatives, small business creation, workforce development, and education to support descendants and residents.
• Coordination and Protection: Urges collaboration among federal agencies (e.g., Environmental Protection Agency for pollution issues, Department of Housing and Urban Development for housing), states, localities, nonprofits, and communities to address power imbalances from past injustices.
• Standards of Living: Affirms the right of these communities to basic services like clean water, sewage, roads, emergency services, and climate-resilient infrastructure.
• Equity and Legacy: Recognizes that supporting these settlements promotes broader equity for historically disadvantaged communities facing racism, environmental injustices, and violence; honors their legacies of freedom and resilience on Juneteenth 2024.

Examples highlighted include communities like Sand Branch (Texas), Africatown (Alabama), Mossville (Louisiana), Edmondson (Arkansas), Allensworth (California), Oberlin Village (North Carolina), and Independence Heights (Texas), which face poverty, pollution, and displacement.

Significant Changes to Existing Law Introduced

As a resolution, this measure does not amend or create new laws; it expresses the sense of the House of Representatives and has no legal force. It builds on existing initiatives like the EPA's Environmental and Climate Justice Program (launched 2022) and the White House's Justice40 Initiative (2022), which aim to direct federal benefits to disadvantaged communities, but it does not introduce enforceable changes.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: Encourages agencies like the EPA, HUD, and others to prioritize coordination and investment in freedmen's settlements, potentially leading to increased technical assistance, funding for clean water and pollution remediation, and historic preservation grants. This could integrate these communities into broader environmental justice and infrastructure programs.
• On Citizens: Residents and descendants may gain greater visibility, access to resources for health, housing, and economic development, and protection from threats like industrial pollution and gentrification. It promotes community-led revitalization, potentially improving living standards and cultural preservation.
• On International Relations: No direct impact, as the resolution focuses on domestic U.S. history and policy.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Primary Beneficiaries: Descendants and current residents of freedmen's settlements, who hold oral histories and face ongoing vulnerabilities.
• Government Entities: Federal agencies (e.g., EPA for environmental issues, National Park Service for preservation), state and local governments for infrastructure and historic designations.
• Nonprofits and Community Groups: Organizations like the Texas Freedom Colonies Project and Friends of Oberlin Village, which lead documentation and revitalization efforts.
• Broader Society: African American communities nationwide, as the resolution models equity for historically divested areas.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Non-binding nature means no enforceable obligations, but it could influence future legislation or agency priorities, such as expanding Freedmen's Bureau-related promises from Reconstruction era (1865–1877, a post-Civil War period aimed at aiding freed slaves).
• Constitutional: Aligns with equal protection principles under the 14th Amendment by addressing systemic racial disparities, without challenging existing frameworks.
• Political: Serves as a symbolic statement on racial justice and reparative actions, tying into Juneteenth as a federal holiday (established 2021). It highlights unfinished Reconstruction goals and environmental racism, potentially galvanizing bipartisan support for equity initiatives amid growing calls for community preservation projects.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Kamlager-Dove, Sydney [D-CA-37]

Cosponsors (15)

Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12], Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1], Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria [D-NY-14], Rep. Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3], Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7], Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4], Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10], Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12], Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4], Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3], Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2], Rep. Brown, Shontel M. [D-OH-11], Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24], Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10], Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2]

Recent Actions

• 2025-02-27: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
• 2025-02-27: Submitted in House

Bill Versions

• Restoring the promise of freedom: honoring, preserving, and investing in Freedmen’s Settlements. — issued 2025-02-27 — PDF (9 pages)