State House lawmakers voted Thursday to apologize for the role Delaware played in America’s history of slavery, joining eight states and both houses of Congress in doing so.
Two Republicans – Reps. Rich Collins (R-Millsboro) and Dave Wilson (R-Bridgeville) – didn’t side with the 38 other lawmakers who approved the apology. Collins opposed it, with Wilson abstaining.
Collins says Delaware should instead create opportunities to move past slavery.
“We have relatives who fought and died in the Civil War to try and stop slavery. We have people who moved to this country after slavery was long gone. I do not see how I can apologize for them,” said Collins.
Others, like Rep. James Johnson (D-New Castle), who is African-American, say they lived through segregation in Delaware and know what this apology will mean to people.
The bill now goes to the Senate for a vote.
