The Woodland City Council is poised to adopt a proclamation recognizing June 19 as Juneteenth, a federally recognized holiday celebrating emancipation.
The proclamation explained that Major General Gordon Granger read General Order Number Three to the people of Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865, stating that "The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a proclamation from the executive of the United States, all slaves are free."
"This proclamation honors and remembers African Americans in Woodland who aided as brick masons in the construction of the Woodland Opera House," the proclamation stated. "This proclamation honors and remembers founding members of the Second Baptist Church, which has a long and renowned place in Woodland."
The proclamation concluded by encouraging residents to participate in activities that recognize the contributions of the city's African American neighbors, "often in face of discrimination, segregation and racism."
The National Museum of African American History and Culture argues that Juneteenth marks the country's second independence day and stresses that although Americans have long celebrated in the African American community, "this monumental event remains largely unknown to most Americans."
According to the museum's website, 250,000 enslaved black people in Texas were freed on June 19, 1865, even though the Emancipation Proclamation was made effective two years prior. This was because the proclamation could not be implemented in places still under Confederate control.
"Formerly enslaved people immediately sought to reunify families, establish schools, run for political office, push radical legislation and even sue slaveholders for compensation," the website emphasized. "Given the 200-plus years of enslavement, such changes were nothing short of amazing. Not even a generation out of slavery, African Americans were inspired and empowered to transform their lives and their country."
Public comments can be submitted prior to the Tuesday council meeting to CouncilMeetings@cityofwoodland.gov. Written comments received at least two hours prior to the scheduled start time of the meeting will be provided to the council and posted to the city website as part of the official record of the meeting but will not be read into the record.
For more information on how to comment and to view the agenda, visit cityofwoodland.gov/654/Meetings-Agendas.
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