HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 2306-16581.Proclamation Honoring Juneteenth 2023
City Council
Staff Report
Report Type: SPECIAL ORDERS OF THE DAY
Lead Department: City Clerk
Meeting Date: June 19, 2023
Report #:2306-1658
TITLE
Proclamation Honoring Juneteenth 2023
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Juneteenth Proclamation 2023
APPROVED BY:
Mahealani Ah Yun
__________________________
Lydia Kou
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, 2023 marks the 158th 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 those once enslaved,
and, finally, the fifteenth amendment enfranchised men once held in bondage; and
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; and
WHEREAS, annual Juneteenth celebrations are held throughout the Bay Area—in cities such as San Francisco,
Oakland, San Jose, and as close as East Palo Alto, where a Juneteenth Food & Music Festival will take place on
Saturday, June 17, 2023 at Bell Street Park; and
WHEREAS, East Palo Alto is also home to Live in Peace, a non-profit organization centered around empowering
at-risk youth and young adults to reclaim the vision for their future, which serves the East Palo Alto and Palo Alto
communities; and
WHEREAS, as part of their mission, Live in Peace “shows that deep community roots and a family-style
approach can support young people facing economic insecurity and unequal access to opportunity;” and
WHEREAS, Palo Alto, largely inspired by local non-profits such as Live in Peace, continues the journey of
addressing racial inequities and focusing on efforts to increase diversity, inclusion, and belonging as expressed in the
City of Palo Alto’s Equity Mission Statement.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Lydia Kou, Mayor of the City of Palo Alto on behalf of the entire City Council, do
hereby recognize and celebrate June 19th as Juneteenth Freedom Day, and call upon our community to reaffirm our
commitment to eradicating hate, racism, and inequity and continuing the work of equity, justice, and hope.
PRESENTED: June 19, 2023