North Carolina Legislature Apologizes for Slavery

The state of North Carolina's legislature has joined those of Maryland and Virginia in approving a resolution apologizing for slavery.  Senate Joint Resolution 1557 was approved by both the North Carolina House of Representatives and North Carolina Senate.  An excrept from the resolution reads as follows:

SECTION 1.  The General Assembly issues its apology for the practice of slavery in North Carolina and expresses its profound contrition for the official acts that sanctioned and perpetuated the denial of basic human rights and dignity to fellow humans.

SECTION 2.  The General Assembly urges schools, colleges, and universities, religious and civic institutions, businesses and professional associations to do all within their power to acknowledge the transgressions of North Carolina's journey from a colony to a leading State, to learn the lessons of history in order to avoid repeating mistakes of the past, and to promote racial reconciliation.

SECTION 3.  The General Assembly calls on all North Carolinians to recommit their State, their communities, and themselves to the proclamation of their nation's Declaration of Independence and their State Constitution that "all persons are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights" – to work daily to treat all persons with abiding respect for their humanity and to eliminate racial prejudices, injustices, and discrimination from our society.

In addition the North Carolina House of Representatives approved House Joint Resolution 1311.  An excerpt from this resolution is:

The General Assembly formally apologizes for the injustice, cruelty, and brutality of slavery, cites its historical role in perpetuating slavery and racism, and expresses its profound regret for the practice of involuntary servitude in this State and for the many hardships experienced, past and present, on account of slavery.

Learn more:

• House Vote Makes Apology for Slavery Official (Newsobserver.com)
• North Carolina Senate Joint Resolution 1557 (Approved by NC House and Senate)
• North Carolina House Joint Resolution 1311 (Approved by NC House)
• Information on Maryland and Virginia Resolutions (FindLaw)