Florida 2023 Regular Session

Florida House Bill H8071 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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10	10	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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14	14	House Resolution 1
15	15	A resolution designating May 18, 2023, as "Haitian 2
16	16	Flag Day" in the State of Florida. 3
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18	18	WHEREAS, the Republic of Haiti, an island nation located in 5
19	19	the West Indies on the western third of the Island of 6
20	20	Hispaniola, declared its independence from French colonial rule 7
21	21	on January 1, 1804, following a slave revolt under the 8
22	22	leadership of Generals Toussaint L'Ouverture, Jean -Jacques 9
23	23	Dessalines, and Alexandr e Pétion, becoming the first and only 10
24	24	state created from a successful slave rebellion, and 11
25	25	WHEREAS, Haiti was the first independent nation in Latin 12
26	26	America and the first postcolonial independent nation led by 13
27	27	blacks in the world, and 14
28	28	WHEREAS, observed ev ery year on May 18, Haitian Flag Day 15
29	29	was celebrated secretly in Haiti during United States occupation 16
30	30	from 1915 to 1934 and was first celebrated in communities around 17
31	31	the world in the late 1990s, and 18
32	32	WHEREAS, the Haitian flag known today, which was offici ally 19
33	33	adopted in 1806 by President Alexandre Pétion, is emblazoned 20
34	34	with the country's coat of arms and the colors red and blue, 21
35	35	adopted from the flag of France, the country from which Haiti 22
36	36	gained its independence, and 23
37	37	WHEREAS, General Jean -Jacques Dessalines is regarded as the 24
38	38	father of the Haitian flag and, according to Haitian historical 25
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51	51	tradition, was known to have dramatically cut the French 26
52	52	tricolor with his saber at the May 1803 Arcahaie conference, 27
53	53	ripping away the white of the French flag to symbol ize an end to 28
54	54	European influence and leaving two strips that Catherine Flon 29
55	55	then sewed back together: the blue, which represented the former 30
56	56	African slaves brought to Haiti by colonial powers, and the red, 31
57	57	which symbolized people of mixed European and Afri can descent, 32
58	58	and 33
59	59	WHEREAS, the Haitian flag is a definitive symbol of pride 34
60	60	for the Caribbean nation, having become the second republic, 35
61	61	after the United States, to defeat a European colonial power in 36
62	62	the Americas, and 37
63	63	WHEREAS, Haitian Flag Day events are annually observed and 38
64	64	celebrated with pride and enthusiasm throughout Florida and the 39
65	65	United States, and 40
66	66	WHEREAS, as educators, authors, community leaders, 41
67	67	activists, athletes, artists, musicians, and politicians, 42
68	68	Haitians and Haitian Americans have left an indelible mark on 43
69	69	every facet of this nation's society and the world, evidenced by 44
70	70	the accomplishments of such icons as Jean Baptiste Point du 45
71	71	Sable, founder of the City of Chicago; civil rights activist 46
72	72	W.E.B. Du Bois; National Football League player Pierre Garҫon; 47
73	73	author and candidate for the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2009, 48
74	74	Frankétienne; and Tony Award -winning actress and singer Nikki M. 49
75	75	James, and 50
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88	88	WHEREAS, the close proximity of Haitian and Floridian 51
89	89	shores, in conjunction with Haiti and Florida 's common bond of 52
90	90	mutual values and commitment to democracy, ensures continued 53
91	91	trade relations, and 54
92	92	WHEREAS, an estimated 1.2 million persons of Haitian 55
93	93	descent now reside in the United States , and more than 235,000 56
94	94	Haitian Americans live in southern Florida alone, and 57
95	95	WHEREAS, Haitian Flag Day salutes the Haitian and Haitian -58
96	96	American communities and exhibits appreciation for their culture 59
97	97	and heritage, which have immeasurably enriched the lives of the 60
98	98	people of this state and nation , NOW, THEREFORE, 61
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100	100	Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of 63
101	101	Florida: 64
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103	103	That May 18, 2023, is designated as "Haitian Flag Day" in 66
104	104	the State of Florida. 67