| 1 | 1 | | H.R. No. 2417 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, Residents of Garland are gathering together on |
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| 6 | 6 | | June 17, 2023, for the city's annual Juneteenth Celebration; and |
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| 7 | 7 | | WHEREAS, The oldest known observance commemorating the end of |
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| 8 | 8 | | slavery in the United States, Juneteenth specifically celebrates |
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| 9 | 9 | | the emancipation of African American slaves in Texas; and |
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| 10 | 10 | | WHEREAS, On June 19, 1865, Union Major General Gordon Granger |
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| 11 | 11 | | arrived in Galveston with federal troops to provide military |
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| 12 | 12 | | support for Reconstruction efforts and to enforce President Abraham |
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| 13 | 13 | | Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation; that same day, General |
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| 14 | 14 | | Granger read publicly his General Order No. 3, which proclaimed |
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| 15 | 15 | | that all slaves were undeniably free from that date onward and that |
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| 16 | 16 | | there would be "an absolute equality of rights and rights of |
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| 17 | 17 | | property between former masters and slaves"; and |
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| 18 | 18 | | WHEREAS, The commemoration of this momentous event became |
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| 19 | 19 | | known as "Juneteenth," and celebrations grew over the decades to |
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| 20 | 20 | | encompass recitations of the Emancipation Proclamation, readings |
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| 21 | 21 | | by notable people, and such activities as singing, parades, rodeos, |
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| 22 | 22 | | street fairs, and cookouts; the celebration in Garland will be held |
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| 23 | 23 | | at Audubon Park, and festivities will include speakers, an essay |
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| 24 | 24 | | contest, food trucks, and live music by the Rob Holbert Group, as |
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| 25 | 25 | | well as a children's activity area and a space for reflection; and |
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| 26 | 26 | | WHEREAS, More than 150 years after emancipation was |
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| 27 | 27 | | proclaimed in Texas, Juneteenth continues to inspire gatherings |
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| 28 | 28 | | that honor the myriad achievements and immeasurable fortitude of |
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| 29 | 29 | | the African American community in the Lone Star State; now, |
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| 30 | 30 | | therefore, be it |
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| 31 | 31 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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| 32 | 32 | | Legislature hereby commemorate the Garland 2023 Juneteenth |
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| 33 | 33 | | Celebration and extend to all those in attendance sincere best |
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| 34 | 34 | | wishes for a meaningful and memorable event. |
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| 35 | 35 | | Neave Criado |
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| 36 | 36 | | ______________________________ |
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| 37 | 37 | | Speaker of the House |
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| 38 | 38 | | I certify that H.R. No. 2417 was adopted by the House on May |
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| 39 | 39 | | 29, 2023, by a non-record vote. |
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| 40 | 40 | | ______________________________ |
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| 41 | 41 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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