WHEREAS, the Emancipation Proclamation was signed on September 22, 1862, with an effective date of January 1, 1863; and WHEREAS, Juneteenth is the oldest known public celebration of the end of slavery in the United States, commemorating the day when those enslaved in Galveston, Texas finally received word of their freedom on June 19, 1865; and WHEREAS, last year, President Joe Biden signed a bill to establish June 19th as Juneteenth National Independence Day, officially making Juneteenth a U.S. Federal holiday; and WHEREAS, the Santa Rosa Juneteenth Celebration was founded in 1954 by Mrs. Marteal “Mother” Perry; and WHEREAS, the local Martin Luther King-Juneteenth Community Festival Celebration was merged in 1970 to keep the dream of Dr. King and the spirit of the Juneteenth alive in Santa Rosa, this year marking the 52nd anniversary of the celebration in Santa Rosa; and WHEREAS, the 52nd Annual MLK-Juneteenth Community Festival Celebration: Our History is Our Strength, sponsored by over 14 community organizations throughout Sonoma County will take place on Saturday, June 18, 2022, at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park in the South Park neighborhood and is free and open to community members of all ages.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that, I, Chris Rogers, Mayor of the City of Santa Rosa, on behalf of the entire City Council, recognize and acknowledging the historical significance of this celebration, and do hereby proclaim June 19, 2022, as
JUNETEENTH
Mayor Chris Rogers
June 7, 2022
Agenda Item #6.1
For the Council Meeting on: June 7, 2022
Proclamation