SUBJECT: General Business
Title
Juneteenth Proclamation
Body
DEPARTMENT: Legislation
Department
PRESENTER(S): Justin Brooks, Mayor
First Name, Last Name, Title
TIME ESTIMATE: 5 minutes
only required for non-consent items
End
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND OF SUBJECT MATTER:
The Juneteenth Celebration (short for “June Nineteenth”) is the oldest nationally celebrated African American holiday. It commemorates the end of slavery in the United States and represents the fight for African American freedom. Juneteenth emphasizes hope, strength, and resilience.
In 2021, President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, recognizing Juneteenth as a federal holiday. He stated it is a day “to celebrate the power and resilience of Black Americans, who have endured generations of oppression in the ongoing journey toward equal justice, equal dignity, equal rights, and equal opportunity in America.” While African Americans have achieved higher educational opportunities, they continue to experience disparities in homeownership and intergenerational wealth, higher maternal and infant mortality rates, less access to fair wages, and lower life expectancy than other racial and ethnic groups.
This year, Being Better Neighbors, a local nonprofit organization, will host a Juneteenth festival on Briggs Street on Saturday, June 22. The Juneteenth flag will appear at all Town facilities from June 18 to 23.
COUNCIL PRIORITY(S) ADDRESSED:
ü Engaged and Diverse Community
ü Effective Governance
ATTACHMENT:
1. Proclamation