; Whereas Gabriel Prosser’s rebellion against Virginia and the United States in 1800 was a landmark event in the history of Black resistance to slavery in the United States and, although he and his followers were hanged, his bravery and leadership continue to inspire generations of activists and advocates; Whereas the Stono Rebellion, the New York City Conspiracy, and the German Coast Uprising are other instances of significant slave uprisings in the United States and its predecessor colonies; Whereas in the fight for freedom, liberty, justice, and equality the righteous resistance of many Black freedom fighters has been depreciated, downplayed, deprecated, disparaged, denigrated, disrespected, and demonized; Whereas the story of Claudette Colvin who refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus months before the famous incident where Rosa Parks refused to do the same has been deprecated, downplayed, and disrespected; Whereas Bayard Rustin, a lifelong civil rights advocate and lead organizer of the March on Washington, was nearly written out of history merely because of his sexual orientation; Whereas religion was a form of resistance to slavery as it allowed the enslaved to assert their humanity, dignity, and independence; Whereas spiritual songs were often used as a form of resistance by building community and maintaining good spirits, as a means of healing, and even to communicate secret messages; Whereas the song Steal Away was used by Nat Turner to call people to him to discuss plans for his rebellion, and the same song was also sung by slaves who planned on escaping soon; Whereas a song, Get on the Gospel Train , provided courage for slaves to escape, citing room for many people, a train available to everyone, and a promise that also alluded to the fact that both Blacks and Whites provided assistance to fugitive slaves as they traveled the Underground Railroad; Whereas the song Sweet Chariot was said to be a personal favorite of Harriet Tubman’s as it indicated to slaves that they would be escaping soon