Juneteenth 2021
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union general Gordon Granger read federal orders in Galveston, Texas, that all previously enslaved people in Texas were free. On June 19, 1866, the first Juneteenth anniversary celebration happened. Since then, celebrations in certain regions of the United States have continued the tradition of honoring this important day. In 1872, a group of former slaves put together $800 and purchased 10 acres of land in Houston, Texas, for the city’s annual Juneteenth celebrations, and they named the space Emancipation Park, where Juneteenth celebrations are held even now. On June 17, 2021, President Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, making Juneteenth the 12th federal holiday. Read more about Juneteenth here.
At their June 17 City Council Meeting, Mayor Cunningham read a Proclamation in Honor of Juneteenth 2021. It cited that on June 18, 2020, the Council adopted Resolution No. 2020-47 affirming the City’s commitment to stand in solidarity with the Black community. Earlier on the 17th, the City had a booth at the Farmers' Market where the Proclamation was displayed, along with Grab-and-Go book bundles from the Brisbane Library, themed coloring pages, and two solidarity posters which the Parks & Recreation Dept. created last summer. If you missed the market, we still have some posters left. Email creatingcommunity@brisbaneca.org if you'd like one!
