[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 420 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]
108th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 420
Recommending expenditures for an appropriate visitors center at Little
Rock Central High School National Historic Site to commemorate the
desegregation of Little Rock Central High School.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 9, 2004
Mr. Pryor (for himself, Mrs. Lincoln, Mr. Coleman, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr.
Durbin, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Breaux, Mr. DeWine, Mr. Fitzgerald, Mr.
Brownback, Mr. Hollings, Mr. Corzine, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Dayton, Mr.
Bayh, Mr. Harkin, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Alexander, Mr. Carper, Mr. Kennedy,
and Mr. Inouye) submitted the following resolution; which was referred
to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
October 5, 2004
Committee discharged; considered and agreed to
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Recommending expenditures for an appropriate visitors center at Little
Rock Central High School National Historic Site to commemorate the
desegregation of Little Rock Central High School.
Whereas the United States recognizes that in September 1957, 9 young students
changed the course of American history by claiming the right to receive
an equal education;
Whereas Ernest Green, Elizabeth Eckford, Jefferson Thomas, Terrence Roberts,
Carlotta Walls, Minnijean Brown, Gloria Ray, Thelma Mothershed, and
Melba Pattillo, known as the ``Little Rock Nine'', and their parents had
the courage necessary to break the bonds of prejudice and desegregation
and venture onto the world stage, with full knowledge of the perils and
complexities inherent in their endeavor;
Whereas despite their effort to enroll at Little Rock Central High School and
receive an education, the Little Rock Nine were met with severe
adversity;
Whereas Little Rock Central High School became not only a crucial battleground
in the struggle for civil rights, but symbolic of the United States
Government's commitment to eliminating separate systems of education for
African-Americans and Caucasians;
Whereas the enrollment of the Little Rock Nine was recognized by Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. as such a significant event in the struggle for civil
rights that he attended the graduation of the first African-American
from Little Rock Central High School;
Whereas the sacrificial accomplishments that were made in September 1957 have
continuing benefits for the United States today;
Whereas the United States will always revere the accomplishments that 9 young
high school students made by showing the Nation and the world that ``all
men are created equal'' and the rule of law is paramount in the
democracy of the United States;
Whereas the Little Rock Nine were forced to obtain the blessings of liberty that
are inherent in the United States Constitution through the intervention
of the judicial branch and executive branch of the United States
Government;
Whereas existing visitor facilities at Little Rock Central High School are
inadequate, resulting in limited opportunities for citizens to learn
about civil rights and our Nation's heritage; and
Whereas the legislative branch of the United States Government has the
opportunity to appropriately commemorate the legacy that these heroic
individuals left by fully funding the design and construction of an
informative memorial: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
(1) the courage displayed by the Little Rock Nine should be
commemorated as an example of American sacrifice through
extreme adversity;
(2) Congress should fully fund the design and construction
of a visitor center at Little Rock Central High School National
Historic Site; and
(3) the new facilities should open by September 2007 in
order to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the historic
events that occurred at Little Rock Central High School.
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