BOARD AGENDA MEMORANDUM
Government Code ? 84308 Applies: Yes ? No ?
(If "YES" Complete Attachment A - Gov. Code ? 84308)
SUBJECT:
Title
Adopt a Resolution Declaring June 19, 2024, as "Juneteenth Independence Day" in Recognition of June 19, 1865, the Date on Which the End of Slavery in the United States is Commemorated.
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Adopt the Resolution DECLARING JUNE 19, 2024, AS "JUNETEENTH INDEPENDENCE DAY" IN RECOGNITION OF JUNE 19, 1865, THE DATE ON WHICH SLAVERY ENDED IN THE UNITED STATES.
Body
SUMMARY:
Juneteenth is the oldest national commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States. From its origins in Galveston, Texas, the observance of Juneteenth as African American Emancipation Day has spread across the United States and beyond. Although President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on
January 1, 1863, it was not until June 1865, over two years later, that news of freedom finally reached enslaved African Americans in Texas.
Juneteenth commemorates African American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement. It is observed for various lengths of time and is marked by celebrations, historical talks, and family gatherings. The observance is a time for reflection and rejoicing, assessment, self-improvement, and planning for the future. In communities across the country, people of all races, nationalities, ethnicities, and religions come together to truthfully acknowledge a period in our nation's history that shaped and influenced current-day society.
This year, in alignment with the federal Juneteenth holiday, and the Board of Directors' 2021 designation of Juneteenth as an official Santa Clara Valley Water District (Valley Water) annual paid holiday, Valley Water employees will be observing Juneteenth on Wednesday, June 19, 2024.
Adopting this resolution strengthens the acknowledgment of the historical significance of Juneteenth Independence Day in the United States. Furthermore, it...
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