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June 19, 2023, as ‘Juneteenth’
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WHEREAS, President Abraham Lincoln issued The Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, freeing slaves within the rebelling states; and
WHEREAS, Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day or Freedom Day, marks the anniversary of the arrival of Union General Gordon Granger in Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865; and
WHEREAS, early celebrations of Juneteenth date back to 1866 in Texas, which then spread across the south and then across the country; and
WHEREAS, while the first state to adopt Juneteenth as a paid state holiday did so in 1980, historically, Juneteenth observances have not always received acknowledgement and recognition, even though Juneteenth is a critical component of American history because it marks a turning point in our nation and a step towards equality; and
WHEREAS, only through collectively striving, will we close the gaps between us and genuinely embrace the self-evident truths presented in the Declaration of Independence: “that all men [people] are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”; and
WHEREAS, on June 17, 2021, President Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, which established Juneteenth as an official federal holiday.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Juan González III, Mayor of San Leandro, do hereby proclaim June 19, 2023, as “Juneteenth” in the City of San Leandro, and encourage reflection and cultural education that helps us achieve equality and freedom for all.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the City of San Leandro to be affixed this 19th day of June 2023.
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Juan González III, Mayor
City of San Leandro