Bill > HJR1536

This joint resolution honors the 150th anniversary of the Colored National Convention, a significant assembly held at the Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville from April 5-7, 1876, during the Reconstruction era. This convention brought together prominent African American leaders, educators, and organizers to address critical issues such as voting rights, civil rights, and political strategy, highlighting the gap between American ideals of freedom and the reality for Black citizens. The convention passed resolutions demanding Civil Rights Defense, urging the use of courts to protect rights; Education Funding, requesting $7 million from Congress for Southern public education; and Labor Reform, calling for a Congressional investigation into Southern labor conditions to improve economic opportunities and ensure equal wages. The convention's proceedings were documented, including a famous wood engraving published in Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, which serves as a powerful visual reminder of the resilience and determination of those advocating for equal rights, education, and economic opportunities. This event was part of a broader Black convention movement from the 1830s to the 1880s, which aimed to assert citizenship and counter oppression and disenfranchisement through political engagement and community unity, reflecting a long history of Black mobilization. The resolution also calls for an appropriate copy of this resolution to be prepared for presentation, with specific formatting instructions.