HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-06-13 - Juneteenth
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Pat Burt
Mayor
Proclamation
JUNETEENTH FREEDOM DAY
WHEREAS, June 19th is declared as Juneteenth Freedom Day, a nationally recognized day which celebrates the
rich culture, legacy and heritage of Black and African American people;
WHEREAS, 2022 marks the 157th year of Juneteenth Freedom Day with Juneteenth being the oldest known
celebration commemorating the abolition of slavery in the United States, dating back to June 19, 1865 when Union
soldiers led by Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended, freeing
the enslaved; and
WHEREAS, This was two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation which
became official on January 1, 1863; and
WHEREAS, The U.S. Congress—between 1865 and 1870—would pass key amendments to the U.S. Constitution,
that upon ratification by each state, would profoundly change the legal status of those once enslaved. The thirteenth
amendment abolished bonded servitude. The fourteenth amendment conferred citizenship upon on those once enslaved.
Finally, the fifteenth amendment enfranchised men once held in bondage.
WHEREAS, Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United States of America—in prefatory remarks before President
Joseph Biden signed the observance of Juneteenth into Federal law in 2021—noted that “Throughout history,
Juneteenth has been known by many names: Jubilee Day, Freedom Day, Liberation Day, Emancipation Day, and
today, a National Holiday;”
WHEREAS, Today, Juneteenth Freedom Day celebrates Black and African American people’s freedom and
achievement, while encouraging continuous self-development and respect for all cultures, as it takes on a more national,
symbolic and even global perspective, to ensure the events of 1865 are not forgotten; and
WHEREAS, Palo Alto has begun the journey of addressing racial inequities and focusing on efforts to increase
diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging as expressed in the City of Palo Alto’s Equity Mission Statement; and
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Pat Burt, Mayor of the City of Palo Alto on behalf of the entire City Council, do hereby
proclaim June 19 as Juneteenth Freedom Day, and to call upon our community to all redouble our commitment to use
our power to stamp out hate, racism, and inequities and continue the work of equity, justice, and hope.
PRESENTED: June 13, 2022
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