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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2019 - 2020
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | March 19, 2019 11:54 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Todd Stephens and Rep. Patty Kim, Rep. Steven R. Malagari, Rep. Christopher B. Quinn |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Recognizing the 100th anniversary of the First Korean Congress in Philadelphia and the March First Movement pursuing Korean Independence |
| We are introducing a House Resolution to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the historic “March First Movement” and the formation of the “First Korean Congress.” On March 1, 1919, thirty-three core Korean-Independence activists signed the Korean Declaration of Independence from Imperial Japan in the Korean capital city of Seoul. On that same day, in Korea, there was a public reading of the Declaration. The reading ignited non-violent protests throughout the country. By the time the movement was suppressed by the Japanese 12 months later, approximately 2,000,000 Koreans had participated in more than 1,500 demonstrations. The struggle killed 7,000 people and wounded an additional 16,000 people. This massive public resistance came to be called the March First Movement. On April 14, 1919, Dr. Philip Jaisohn, Dr. Syngman Rhee, and Henry Chung gathered with 150 Korean national leaders and Americans at the “Little Theater” in Philadelphia to hold the First Korean Congress, in response to the March First Movement in Korea. This three-day event in Philadelphia helped publicize to the world the conditions in Korea and the legitimate need for Korea’s Independence. The efforts of the First Korean Congress helped continue the independence movement for the next three years. We celebrate these important anniversaries and the connection of the Commonwealth to these historic events. Please join us in co-sponsoring this legislation. |
Introduced as HR172