Fiscal Note
No fiscal impact.
Title
Recognizing June 19, 2021, as Juneteenth in the City of Madison
Body
WHEREAS, it has been over 400 years since the first Africans were enslaved and violently brought to what would become the United States, including to Florida in 1526 and to Point Comfort, Virginia, in 1619; and
WHEREAS, it was not until June 19th, 1865, that federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, finally emancipating enslaved Texans; and
WHEREAS, news of the end of slavery traveled slowly to enslaved laborers throughout Texas, with some plantation owners keeping the news from them until after the harvest of that year; and
WHEREAS, June 19th is known as Juneteenth in acknowledgement of that fact, and to commemorate this date as the end of slavery in the United States; and
WHEREAS, although slavery was formally abolished in December of 1865 with the enactment of the 13th amendment to the US constitution, the amendment contains an exception for the labor of incarcerated individuals, which has incited a rash of practices, policies and laws targeting and disproportionately disenfranchising Black people in America through criminalization, exploitation of their labor, mass incarceration and voter suppression; and
WHEREAS, in 1866, emancipated communities began celebrating Juneteenth as Jubilee Day; and
WHEREAS, 47 states, including Wisconsin, have declared Juneteenth to be a state holiday; and
WHEREAS, Juneteenth celebrates the continued resilience of people of African descent in America; and
WHEREAS, in 1997, during the 105th United States Congress, House Joint Resolution 56 and Senate Joint Resolution 11 were passed, officially recognizing Juneteenth Independence Day; and
WHEREAS, Juneteenth commemorates the strength and resolve of Black and African Americans throughout our history and serves as an opportunity to celebrate the rich and numerous contributions of Black and African Americans; and
WHEREAS, Juneteenth is also known as Emanci...
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