| 1 | 1 | | 89R182 BK-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Leo Wilson H.C.R. No. 6 |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | CONCURRENT RESOLUTION |
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| 8 | 8 | | WHEREAS, Galveston holds a special place in American history |
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| 9 | 9 | | as the birthplace of Juneteenth, the longstanding observance that |
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| 10 | 10 | | commemorates the end of slavery in Texas and, more generally, in the |
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| 11 | 11 | | United States as a whole; and |
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| 12 | 12 | | WHEREAS, Juneteenth stems from the events of June 19, 1865, |
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| 13 | 13 | | when the Union Army arrived in Galveston following the end of the |
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| 14 | 14 | | Civil War; in accordance with President Abraham Lincoln's |
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| 15 | 15 | | Emancipation Proclamation, General Gordon Granger issued General |
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| 16 | 16 | | Order No. 3, which proclaimed that all enslaved persons in Texas |
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| 17 | 17 | | were free and that there would be "an absolute equality of personal |
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| 18 | 18 | | rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves"; |
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| 19 | 19 | | during the months that followed, this news traveled across the |
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| 20 | 20 | | state from Galveston and was joyously received by the approximately |
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| 21 | 21 | | 250,000 men, women, and children in Texas who had been living in |
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| 22 | 22 | | bondage; and |
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| 23 | 23 | | WHEREAS, The anniversary of this momentous event came to be |
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| 24 | 24 | | known as "Juneteenth," and it has since been marked with a variety |
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| 25 | 25 | | of festivities; during the 20th century, Juneteenth began growing |
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| 26 | 26 | | in popularity beyond Texas as celebrations spread to cities such as |
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| 27 | 27 | | Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Minneapolis, Minnesota; in 1979, Texas |
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| 28 | 28 | | became the first state to make Juneteenth an official state |
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| 29 | 29 | | holiday, and Juneteenth National Independence Day, a federal |
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| 30 | 30 | | holiday, was established in 2021 by an act of Congress; and |
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| 31 | 31 | | WHEREAS, Juneteenth is observed in Galveston with an array of |
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| 32 | 32 | | special events, including a parade, an art exhibition, and a guided |
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| 33 | 33 | | tour to historic sites; in 2021, a public mural entitled Absolute |
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| 34 | 34 | | Equality was completed in downtown Galveston as an initiative of |
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| 35 | 35 | | the Juneteenth Legacy Project; spanning 5,000 square feet, the |
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| 36 | 36 | | vibrant and richly detailed mural by Reginald C. Adams depicts the |
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| 37 | 37 | | origins of Juneteenth and the journey of Black Americans from |
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| 38 | 38 | | slavery to freedom; and |
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| 39 | 39 | | WHEREAS, Galveston's historical association with Juneteenth |
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| 40 | 40 | | has made the city an important destination for those looking to |
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| 41 | 41 | | reflect on a landmark moment for our nation and on the ideals of |
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| 42 | 42 | | freedom, equality, and justice that the holiday represents, and it |
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| 43 | 43 | | is indeed fitting that the city's seminal role in the Juneteenth |
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| 44 | 44 | | observance be officially honored; now, therefore, be it |
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| 45 | 45 | | RESOLVED, That the 89th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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| 46 | 46 | | hereby designate Galveston as the official Juneteenth Capital of |
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| 47 | 47 | | Texas; and, be it further |
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| 48 | 48 | | RESOLVED, That, in accordance with the provisions of Section |
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| 49 | 49 | | 391.003(e), Government Code, this designation remain in effect |
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| 50 | 50 | | until the 10th anniversary of the date this resolution is finally |
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| 51 | 51 | | passed by the legislature. |
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