2021-0160
Title
Proclamation: "Juneteenth Day in St. Charles Parish"
Body
P R O C L A M A T I O N
WHEREAS, on January 1, 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation was signed by President Abraham Lincoln. It took several years, and the end of the civil war for the Emancipation Proclamation to become a reality for hundreds of thousands of enslaved African Americans; and,
WHEREAS, on June 19, 1865, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation became official, Major-General Gordon Granger, along with more than 1,800 federal troops, arrived in Galveston, Texas, to take control of the state and ensure freedom for the last remaining slaves in the area; and,
WHEREAS, the newly freed African Americans rejoiced by praying, dancing, and gathering for community feasts. Those gatherings recurred each year, commemorating what became known as Freedom Day; also known as Jubilee Day, Liberation Day, Emancipation Day, and Juneteenth; and,
WHEREAS, currently 47 of 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia recognize Juneteenth as an official state holiday or observance; and,
WHEREAS, Juneteenth has always been both a day of remembrance and an opportunity for African Americans to honor their history and celebrate their culture. It is a time for reflection and rejoicing, for assessment, self-improvement, and planning the future; and,
WHEREAS, in cities across the country people of all races, nationalities, and religions are joining hands to truthfully acknowledge a period in our history that shaped and continues to influence our society today.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, THAT WE, THE MEMBERS OF THE ST. CHARLES PARISH COUNCIL AND THE PARISH PRESIDENT, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM JUNE 19, 2021, AS
"JUNETEENTH DAY IN ST. CHARLES PARISH"
AND INVITE ALL CITIZENS TO JOIN IN THE FESTIVITIES ON SATURDAY, JUNE 19, 2021, AT BETHUNE PARK, 301 BETHUNE STREET, IN NORCO, FROM 1 PM TO 6 PM.
MATTHEW JEWELL DICK GIBBS
PARISH PRESIDENT COUNCILMAN, DISTRICT III
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