Freedom Calendar 08/02/08 - 08/09/08

August 2, 1810, Birth of anti-slavery activist and New Hampshire U.S. Rep. Amos Tuck, co-founder of the Republican Party.

August 3, 1990 President George, H. W. Bush declares first National American Indian Heritage Month.

August 4, 1965, Senate Republican Leader Everett Dirksen (R-IL) overcomes Democrat attempts to block 1965 Voting Rights Act; 94% of Senate Republicans vote for landmark civil right legislation, while 27% of Democrats oppose.

August 5, 1964, Hispanic-American Republican Lt. Everett Alvarez, USN, is shot down in Vietnam; becomes first U.S. prisoner of North Vietnamese and longest-serving POW in U.S. history.

August 6, 1965, Voting Rights Act of 1965, abolishing literacy tests and other measures devised by Democrats to prevent African-Americans from voting, signed into law; higher percentage of Republicans than Democrats vote in favor.

August 7, 1917, Birth of African-American Republican Melvin Evans, first elected Governor of Virgin Islands; also served as Delegate to Congress, Republican National Committeeman, and U.S. Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago.

August 8, 1878, African-American Republican James Rapier becomes Collector of Internal Revenue; previously served as U.S. Rep. (R-AL).

August 9, 1988, Lauro Cavazos, first Hispanic to serve in Cabinet, nominated by President Ronald Reagan to be Secretary of Education.

The United States respects your aspirations as sovereign citizens. And we will stand with you to secure your rights -- to speak as you choose, to think as you please, to worship as you wish, and to choose your leaders, freely and fairly, in democratic elections.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Washington, DC August 4, 2006.

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