Fiscal Note
No City appropriation required.
Title
Recognizing and commemorating June 19, 2025, as Juneteenth and Freedom Day in Madison, Wisconsin
Body
WHEREAS, June 19, 2025, marks the 160th commemoration of Juneteenth; and,
WHEREAS, June 19 or Juneteenth, is Freedom Day; and,
WHEREAS, this day not only celebrates freedom but honors and punctuates the quest for the civil liberty of freedom; and,
WHEREAS, Juneteenth, at its genesis, symbolically commemorates the end of slavery in America, and the beginning of the road to freedom for Black people, which is foundational to freedom for all; and,
WHEREAS, a contradiction existed between the American ideals of liberty and equality; and,
WHEREAS, in 1865, after the Civil War, the institution of slavery remained in effect with many citizens choosing to ignore the Emancipation Proclamation, an executive order that was signed into law nearly two and a half years prior, which declared the end of slavery; and,
WHEREAS, the plantation owners, business owners who owned enslaved people forced by birth and/or captivity as unpaid laborers and involuntary servants in an involuntary system of slavery from birth to death for generations, worked to resist and defy the Emancipation Proclamation; and,
WHEREAS, on June 19, 1865, under the direction of the United States Government, led by General Gordon Granger, the United States Colored Troops (numbers 29 and 31), and a cavalry of 1,800 plus troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, the last city in the United States to receive formal news; and,
WHEREAS, the troops, who were charged with enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation, advised the community as a whole that all are free and that they had been freed by the Proclamation two and a half years prior and that, under the ratification of the 13th Amendment, slavery and involuntary servitude was unconstitutional and was banned in all United States territories; and,
WHEREAS, symbolically, America gained its independence on the Fourth of July, but, symbolically, all of its people gained their freedom on Juneteenth; and,
WHEREAS, as such, Juneteenth observations and celebrations started in Texas in 1865; and,
WHEREAS, in 1989, the greater Madison community first started formally celebrating Juneteenth; and,
WHEREAS, the City of Madison first recognized Juneteenth as a City holiday in 2021; and,
WHEREAS, in 2021, Juneteenth became the 11th federal holiday in the United States; and,
WHEREAS, from a historical context, it is recognized that the path to Juneteenth becoming the 11th federal holiday has foundational roots connected directly to Madison and Milwaukee; and,
WHEREAS, Juneteenth symbolizes a path towards several of everyday freedoms we often take for granted, such as the freedom to vote, the freedom of religion, the freedom to travel, the freedom to dress yourself and be yourself, the freedom to do business and be in business, and the freedom to seek and receive healthcare, among others; and,
WHEREAS, Juneteenth further symbolizes the right or freedom for all to get an education, to marry who you want, to serve in the military, to defend yourself, and to be protected in the criminal justice system, though many of these same freedoms are being fought for, challenged, and tested to this day; and,
WHEREAS, the Emancipation Proclamation and the eventual ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment nullified violations of freedom such as the Fugitive Slave Clause in the United States Constitution, which had required that an enslaved person who escaped to another state be returned to their enslaver; and,
WHEREAS, the Thirteenth Amendment prohibited slavery and involuntary servitude, and the Fourteenth Amendment granted equal protection under the law and prohibited the State from depriving life, liberty, and property of any person without due process; and,
WHEREAS, despite these legal protections granted to United States citizens, a legacy of racial inequality can be found in today’s criminal justice system through mass incarceration, racially biased capital punishment, excessive and disproportionate sentencing, and police violence; and,
WHEREAS, in Wisconsin, there are approximately 23,500 people currently incarcerated and another 63,000 people currently on probation or parole; and,
WHEREAS, as of October 2021, one out of 36 Black Wisconsinites were in prison, the highest Black incarceration rate in the nation, with Black Wisconsinites 12 times more likely to be incarcerated than white people; and,
WHEREAS, while Juneteenth symbolizes a number of freedoms and rights, including rights granted for protection within the criminal justice system, there is substantial progress that still needs to be made to create a just and equitable society;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Madison and the Madison Common Council recognize that Juneteenth is Freedom Day, which stands as a marker of freedom for all in the United States and provides time to honor those who have worked in community to commit to engage in actions and initiatives promoting freedom, including the never-ending work of social justice.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the official Juneteenth flag was raised on June 3, 2025, which represents a new beginning and all Americans who cherish and stand for freedom and the promises that lay ahead when we stand for, fight for, recognize, and honor the struggle it has taken to gain freedom for all.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the Madison Common Council and Mayor recognize and commemorate June 19, 2025, as Juneteenth and Freedom Day in Madison.