White congressman supports apology for slavery, Jim Crow

New Congressman Steve Cohen of Memphis is urging House members to vote for a bill he has introduced to apologize for slavery and Jim Crow discrimination. Cohen, who is white, took to the House floor yesterday to speak in favor of his bill. He told the Washington bureau of The Commercial Appeal that his measure has picked up 36 co-sponsors, including Congressmen Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, Charles Rangell of New York and Patrick Kennedy of Rhode Island. Cohen said the country needs to apologize for what he called the brutal and inhumane system of slavery and Jim Crow laws. He commended the Virginia General Assembly for voting last week to express "profound regret" for the state's role in slavery.