Kirk Douglas at AFI Lifetime Achievement Award: A Tribute to Michael Douglas held at Sony Pictures Studios. Los Angeles, California - 11.06.09

The 92 year old, who played a slave in his most famous film Spartacus, launched a campaign to get an official apology for slavery years ago - and the Senate agreed to it on Thursday (18Jun09).

In a blog on his MySpace.com website in April (09), Douglas wrote, "In my last book, Let's Face It, I wrote about the importance of our country showing the world that we are capable of humility by making an apology for our behaviour towards African-Americans before and after the Civil War. I think this action is more important right now."

The resolution passed by the Senate reads, "(Congress) acknowledges the fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality, and inhumanity of slavery... and apologises to African-Americans on behalf of the people of the United States, for the wrongs committed against them and their ancestors."

The bill will now go before the House of Representatives.

Source: WENN