Bobby Scott: “Over 400 years ago, the first enslaved Africans in what…”

“Fifteen years ago, President Obama designated Fort Monroe in my district as a national monument. And while it is clear that the land contains an historic fort, the site's significance in other history is less obvious. Because Over 400 years ago, the first enslaved Africans in what would become the United States were forcibly brought onto the shores where the fort currently stands. The fort that exists today was built with enslaved labor in the early 1800s, but became known as Fortress Freedom, a refuge of many who were enslaved and escaped during the Civil War.” (00:26–00:37)

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