88R33028 AMB-D
By: Neave Criado H.R. No. 2417
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Residents of Garland are gathering together on
June 17, 2023, for the city's annual Juneteenth Celebration; and
WHEREAS, The oldest known observance commemorating the end of
slavery in the United States, Juneteenth specifically celebrates
the emancipation of African American slaves in Texas; and
WHEREAS, On June 19, 1865, Union Major General Gordon Granger
arrived in Galveston with federal troops to provide military
support for Reconstruction efforts and to enforce President Abraham
Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation; that same day, General
Granger read publicly his General Order No. 3, which proclaimed
that all slaves were undeniably free from that date onward and that
there would be "an absolute equality of rights and rights of
property between former masters and slaves"; and
WHEREAS, The commemoration of this momentous event became
known as "Juneteenth," and celebrations grew over the decades to
encompass recitations of the Emancipation Proclamation, readings
by notable people, and such activities as singing, parades, rodeos,
street fairs, and cookouts; the celebration in Garland will be held
at Audubon Park, and festivities will include speakers, an essay
contest, food trucks, and live music by the Rob Holbert Group, as
well as a children's activity area and a space for reflection; and
WHEREAS, More than 150 years after emancipation was
proclaimed in Texas, Juneteenth continues to inspire gatherings
that honor the myriad achievements and immeasurable fortitude of
the African American community in the Lone Star State; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
Legislature hereby commemorate the Garland 2023 Juneteenth
Celebration and extend to all those in attendance sincere best
wishes for a meaningful and memorable event.