A memorial recognizing the cruelty and inhumanity of slavery could soon be placed on the State Capitol grounds.
The Florida Senate unanimously passed a bill Tuesday to create the memorial. It now heads to Gov. Rick Scott.
Sen. Darryl Rouson, a sponsor of the legislation, said the creation of the memorial will allow the state to tell its "joint history that we overcame, that we will never forget and that we must not repeat." Rouson said it was important for Floridians to recognize that slaves worked around the state when Florida was a territory and during early statehood.
A similar bill was proposed last year but it died when it was blocked by a Republican senator who is a descendent of a Confederate soldier.