As I contemplate the significance of Hispanic Heritage Month, which began September 15, I can’t help but recall Fredrick Douglass' seminal 1869 speech, “Composite Nation.” In this speech, delivered four years after the Civil War, Douglass outlined a bold vision of a pluralistic America that remains profoundly prescient:
“If we would reach a degree of civilization higher and grander than any yet attained, we should welcome to our ample continent all nations, kindreds and tongues and peoples; and as fast as they learn our language and comprehend the duties of citizenship, we should incorporate them into the American body politic.”
As posted by Congressman Ro Khan
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