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Councilmember Charles Alle n 2
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A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION 7
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 11
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To recognize and celebrate the inaugural Southwest Juneteenth Festival, to be held on Saturday, 16
June 17, 2023 at the historic Carron Baptist Church in Southwest, DC. 17
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WHEREAS, Juneteenth is a federal holiday in the United States and a holiday in the 19
District of Columbia that commemorates the date of June 19, 1865, when those who were enslaved 20
in the state of Texas learned that they had been freed, more than 2 years after President Abraham 21
Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863; 22
WHEREAS, the inaugural Southwest Juneteenth Festival will be held on Saturday, June 23
17, 2023 at the historic Carron Baptist Church at 1354 First Street, SW, in the Southwest 24
community; 25
WHEREAS, the festival will engage residents from across the District, along with the 26
James Creek, Syphax Gardens, Greenleaf Gardens, Greenleaf Gardens Additions, Greenleaf 27
Gardens Extension, and Greenleaf Senior communities; 28
WHEREAS, the Southwest community has a storied history of Black leadership, 29
scholarship, achievement, and historical prominence; 30
WHEREAS, the site of the festival – Carron Baptist Church – is celebrating 95 years of 31
serving the District, and is led by the Rev. Peter J. Spann; 32 2
WHEREAS, the festival aligns with Carron Baptist Church’s mission and vision beyond 33
its walls as a faith-based anchor for local and community- wide residents; 34
WHEREAS, the festival will recognize the enslavement of Africans and African 35
Americans and celebrate their freedom through reflective conversations about Juneteenth, music, 36
dance, food, children’s activities, and a walking tour; and 37
WHEREAS, the festival will feature historian Louis C. Hicks, Jr. to lead festival goers in 38
dialogue about Juneteenth . 39
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, that this 40
resolution may be cited as the “Southwest Juneteenth Festival Recognition Resolution of 2023”. 41
Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia recognize s and celebrates the inaugural 42
Southwest Juneteenth Festival, to be held on Saturday, June 17, 2023 at the historic Carron Baptist 43
Church in Southwest, DC. 44
Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately. 45