Bill > H5327

This resolution commemorates the New England Freedmen's Aid Society by designating February 6th, 2025, as "New England Freedmen's Aid Society Day" in Rhode Island. The resolution highlights the society's crucial role during and after the Civil War, specifically noting its founding in 1859 by the American Missionary Association (AMA), which was primarily supported by Northern churches. The organization focused on educating recently freed slaves and their children, establishing over 500 schools and colleges in the South that significantly improved African-American literacy rates. The resolution recognizes the society's efforts to provide educational opportunities and basic necessities to freedmen, enabling many to become teachers, nurses, and professionals. Additionally, the resolution instructs the Secretary of State to send a certified copy of the resolution to the Rhode Island NAACP, formally acknowledging the historical significance of the Freedmen's Aid Society's educational and social justice work.

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