Office of the Mayor
Proclamation
Lawrence, Kansas
WHEREAS: Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration of the ending of slavery, dating back to June 19, 1865, the day on which Union soldiers landed at Galveston, Texas with news that war had ended and that all slaves were now free, even though President Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation two and a half years earlier; and
WHEREAS: Juneteenth has become a tradition of celebrations, that began following the reading of the proclamation by General Gordon Granger in 1865, that has lasted over one hundred years, and today is hosted in cities across America; and
WHEREAS: Juneteenth has continued to be a highly revered event in across the United States as a time for celebrating community and family, and to honor the memory of all those who endured slavery and especially those who moved from slavery to freedom,
WHEREAS: Juneteenth allows people of all races, nationalities and religions in cities across the country to join hands to acknowledge a period in our history that shaped and continues to influence our society today; and
WHEREAS: Juneteenth today celebrates African American freedom while also encouraging self-development and respect for all cultures.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Mike Amyx, Mayor of the City of Lawrence, Kansas, do hereby proclaim June 17 – 24 as
.
Mike Amyx, Mayor
June 20, 2006