The original legislation awarding a historic Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to Africans and their descendants enslaved within our country from August 20, 1619, to December 6, 1865

This bill seeks to posthumously award a historic Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to Africans and their descendants enslaved within the United States. The medal would honor those enslaved from August 20, 1619, until December 6, 1865, recognizing their profound contributions as the greatest contributors to the foundation of America's economic greatness . After being awarded, the gold medal is to be given to the Smithsonian Institution for display at the National Museum of African-American History & Culture, where it will also be available for research. The legislation includes extensive findings detailing the systematic abduction of human beings from Africa, their forced labor under horrific conditions, and the immense suffering they endured. It emphasizes that slave labor was essential to the functioning of farms and plantations, significantly contributing to the growth of the United States economy and the construction of notable buildings and institutions. The bill highlights the estimated economic value of slave labor, ranging from $5.9 trillion to $14.2 trillion in 2009 dollars, underscoring the immeasurable advantage it provided to the U.S. economy. Furthermore, the bill authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to strike and sell duplicate bronze medals to the public, with proceeds deposited into the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund. These sales would cover the costs associated with producing the medals, ensuring the program is self-sustaining. The gold medal itself would be designated as a national medal.