WhWhereas, Juneteenth is recognized as Freedom Day or our country’s second Independence Day; and
WhWhereas, President Abraham Lincoln first issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, freeing the enslaved people in the South, but those orders were ignored by Confederate Southern slave owners; and
WhWhereas, on June 19, 1865, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued, Union Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced the end of the Civil War and enforced the President’s order, freeing the enslaved people and ending 400+ years of slavery in the United States; and
WhWhereas, Juneteenth thus became a powerful symbol of freedom and the long struggle for civil rights; and
WhWhereas, Juneteenth is a holiday of education, reflection, and celebration – it is a time to educate ourselves on the history of our country, reflect on the current state of our nation, redouble our efforts to rid our society of racism, discrimination, and inequity and heal the generational trauma they have caused, and to celebrate the end of enslavement; and
WhWhereas, Juneteenth is a time to reflect on the progress made in the fight for civil rights and to recognize the resilience, endurance, and contributions of Black Americans throughout history; and
WhWhereas, Glendale acknowledges its racist past as a "sundown town" and the formal resolution adopted by the City Council on September 15, 2020, publicly recognizing the city's history of discrimination towards people of color and committing to advancing systemic change; and
WhWhereas, the City of Glendale approved the creation of a Human Relations Group to continue to implement practices that address systemic racism, bias, and the injustices that weaken our city; and !
WhWhereas, Glendale is proud to recognize Juneteenth as an official state holiday, honoring the centuries of struggles and triumphs that have brought us to this moment;! !
NoNow, therefore, Elen Asatryan, Mayor of the City of Glendale, do hereby proclaim June 19, 2024, as
!
Juneuneteentnth h Indendepependendencence Dayay
and call upon our residents to educate ourselves on our nation’s history and focus on what we can do to bring us together and move us forward toward justice.
!
Elen A Asatryan, M Mayor
June 25, 2024