By Gloria DULAN-Wilson
Hello All:
Well, it looks as though you get one problem resolved, and someone pops up with another issue. This time it's the reneging by Mayor Jim Kenney on the Juneteenth Holiday in Philadelphia. He has apparently signed an executive order canceling it as a legal holiday recognized in Philadelphia.
That definitely does not sit well with Philadelphians - and is especially viewed as a sneak attack on his part against Black Philadlphians.
WE ARE DEMANDING THE RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF JUNETEENTH AS A HOLIDAY IN THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA AND SURROUNDING AREAS.
Make sure you sign it; share it with your friends and tell them to sign it and likewise share this link with your friends:
https://www.change.org/p/mayor-jim-kenney-reinstate-juneteenth-holiday
RESOLUTION
Calling on the Kenney Administration to take all necessary steps to ensure that Juneteenth continues to be an official City holiday
WHEREAS, Juneteenth is the oldest recognized celebration observing the freedom of African Americans from slavery in the United States. The celebration honors our ancestors who survived the inhumane bondage and demonstrates the pride in their legacy of perseverance; and
WHEREAS, The Emancipation Proclamation was issued on September 22, 1862, with an effective date of January 1, 1863, but it had minimal immediate effect on the majority of slaves who remained in captivity and oppression by slave owners; and
WHEREAS, On June 19, 1865, Union General Gordon Grangers and 2,000 federal troops arrived in Confederate-controlled Texas to take possession of the state and to enforce the emancipation of slaves throughout the state. Two years, five months, and eighteen days after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, the last of those enslaved within the borders of the United States were freed, which resulted in an eruption of celebration and festivity; and
WHEREAS, Throughout the City of Philadelphia, community organizations and institutions and individuals commemorate the significance of this day on June 19th, which is recognized across the United States of America as National Juneteenth Day and most appropriately as Freedom Day; and
WHEREAS, On January 20th, 2021, the City of Philadelphia announced that Juneteenth would not be listed as an official holiday for 2021. This comes after Mayor Kenney used a one-time executive action in 2020 to designate the June 19 celebration, commemorating the abolition of slavery in the U.S., an official city holiday for the first time in Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, On June 16th, 2020, Mayor Kenney released the following statement highlighting the importance of Juneteenth
“The only way to dismantle the institutional racism and inequalities that continue to disenfranchise Black Philadelphians is to look critically at how we got here, and make much-needed changes to the governmental systems that allow inequality to persist. This designation of Juneteenth represents my administration’s commitment to reckon with our own role in maintaining racial inequities and our understanding of the magnitude of work that lies ahead.”
The continued truth of these words further reiterates the need for the designation of Juneteenth as a recognized holiday, and for the administration’s continued commitment to racial equity; and
WHEREAS, The holiday is continuing to be celebrated by other agencies, including The School District of Philadelphia, and all state agencies after Gov. Tom Wolf created a state holiday for employees under the governor’s jurisdiction; and
WHEREAS, It is imperative that Mayor Kenney moves to make Juneteenth a continued City holiday, further celebrating its importance to history as the day all citizens of the United States became free; now, therefore be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That it hereby calls on the Kenney Administration to take all necessary steps to ensure that Juneteenth continues to be an official City holiday
Introduced by Kenyatta Johnson 2nd District Councilmember
Cosponsored by Curtis Jones Jr. 4th District Councilmember
January 28, 2020
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