Congressman Al Green and Senator Elizabeth Warren Request Presidential Medal of Freedom for America's Enslaved

(Washington, D.C.) — On September 19th, 2023, Congressman Al Green and Senator Elizabeth Warren embarked upon a historic joint endeavor to recognize the profound and enduring contribution of the American enslaved to the economic foundation of the United States. In a collaborative letter addressed to President Joseph R. Biden, Congressman Green and Senator Warren are joined by 63 members of the House as well as Senators Booker, Van Hollen, and Padilla in requesting that the President grant a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom to the nation’s economic foundational mothers and fathers. Click here to read a copy of the joint letter.

Congressman Green and Senator Warren emphasized the vital role the enslaved played in shaping the economic foundation of the United States. These notable individuals contributed centuries of labor by planting and harvesting crops, constructing critical roads and bridges, as well as providing the groundwork for lucrative industries such as cotton and tobacco. Their collective efforts propelled the United States to the global economic dominance it enjoys today.

On August 20th, 2022, President Biden marked the commemoration of Slavery Remembrance Day with a statement acknowledging the repercussions of slavery, the nation’s seminal sin. A Presidential Medal of Freedom would be a further, monumental recognition of the immense contributions of the American enslaved and a transformation of our historical narrative. While this does not cure all of the horrors of slavery, the granting of this medal of freedom would recognize the injustices imposed upon the enslaved, in the form of the denial of the freedom that all human beings earn by birthright.

“We will never be able to undo our nation’s painful history of slavery, but there are steps we can take now toward recognition and reconciliation,” said Senator Elizabeth Warren. “By awarding the nation’s highest civilian honor posthumously to enslaved Americans, we can honor those who played a fundamental role in building the economic and social foundation of our nation.”

Congressman Al Green stated, “President Biden granting a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom to the American enslaved would provide a historic tribute to their stolen legacy. It would truly be a groundbreaking moment of national acknowledgment. Such acknowledgment is an imperative contribution to the healing of historical wounds, encouraging a renewed sense of justice, and declaring that the labor and sacrifices of enslaved persons were foundational to our nation’s prosperity."