H.Res. 176 — Introduced in House

IV 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 176 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 27, 2023Mr. Soto submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture RESOLUTION Recognizing the historical significance of Lawrence Silas. Whereas, in 1891, Lawrence Silas was born in a rural area of Kenansville, Florida, to Tom, a formerly enslaved person, and Elizabeth Silas; Whereas Lawrence Silas, in his youth, became the breadwinner for his mother and his 12 siblings upon the passing of his father; Whereas Lawrence Silas, with the support from his dear wife, Sarah Laurence Silas, overcame financial struggles and discrimination biases to gradually transform his passion for cattle into a prominent business that aided to the development of his community; Whereas despite racism and discrimination, Lawrence Silas demonstrated remarkable dedication to work, great perseverance, and impressive entrepreneurial skills; Whereas Lawrence Silas’ virtuous character and superb competence as a cattle baron made him a role model for his community, and the power of his timeless legacy continues to reverberate in Osceola County; Whereas Lawrence Silas’ empathetic leadership helped many citizens of his community to overcome financial hurdles and to grow their passion for cattle business; Whereas Lawrence Silas’ story represents the resilience and power of cattle business in Osceola County and highlights Florida’s historical engagement with livestock business; Whereas Lawrence Silas represents the intelligence, the diligent work attitude, and the courageous spirit of the people in the cattle industry; Whereas Lawrence Silas was an influential man in his community despite all discriminations that Black people are subjected; Whereas Lawrence Silas contributed to the development of livestock business in Florida by several means: mastery managing his own land with thousands of heads of cattle, providing expert advice for affluent dealers and breeders, and creating jobs in his community; Whereas Lawrence Silas had recognizable knowledge on many kinds of cow diseases, which allowed him to handle his own cattle as well as from other owners; Whereas Lawrence Silas bravely endured all dangers associated with livestock management in a time where hunting wild cows was still necessary; and Whereas Lawrence Silas was dedicated to cattle work and development throughout his life: Now, therefore, be it That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that Lawrence Silas is a historically significant African American who has— (1) made important contributions for the development of livestock business in Florida; and (2) defeated great challenges in his journey to becoming a notorious cattleman in a society with strong racial disparities.