Huntsville Times
Thursday 4/12/07

State asked to apologize for slavery
Senator says resolution offers chance for reconciliation

Montgomery - One of the seven black members of the state Senate introduced a resolution Wednesday calling for the state of Alabama to apoligize for its role in slavery.

Sen. Hank Sanders, D-Selma said it was time for "recconciliation among all Alabamans" and he noted that his measure does not rrequest reparations.

Sanders said similar resolutions had been adopted recently
by legislatures in North Carolina and Virginia.

....Sanders did engage in a brief debate with Sen. Charles Bishop R-Arley, over the necessity of such an apology.

....Bishop said he didn't understand the need for an apology "for something I had absolutely no part of."

Sanders said "No individual is apolgizing. The state of Alabama is apologizing. It had all kinds of laws about slavery."