New York
recognizes Juneteenth as a State Holiday or State Holiday
Observance through a Bill, House Resolution, Senate Resolution or Joint
Resolution
State Senator John L. Sampson - 718-649-7653 (passed 2004) -
S01519
________________________________________________________________________________
Juneteenth Officially Recognized in New York
Albany Business Review
June 18, 2004
________________________________________________________________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (4/15/02)
Contact: Patricia Deans, Director
New York Juneteenth Holiday Campaign
Brownsville Heritage House
718-385-1111
718-385-1113 Fax
e-mail: brownsvilleheritagehouse@yahoo.com
Rev. Ronald V. Myers, Sr., M.D., National Chairman
National Juneteenth Holiday Campaign
National Juneteenth Observance Foundation (NJOF)
National Juneteenth Christian Leadership Council (NJCLC)
202-331-8864
662-247-1471
e-mail: myersfound@aol.com
web sites: www.19thofjune.com
www.njclc.com
www.njof.org
www.juneteenthconvention.com
NEW YORK JUNETEENTH HOLIDAY BILL
HEADED TO ALBANY
(New York, NY) - New York may become the next state to recognize
Juneteenth as a state holiday. Rev. Ronald V. Myers, Sr., M.D.,
Chairman of the National Juneteenth Holiday Campaign, was in New York
this weekend to rally support to make Juneteenth a holiday in all fifty
states. This campaign is not advocating for Juneteenth to become a paid
state or federal holiday, but as a National Holiday Observance, similar
to Flag Day.
"State Senator John L. Sampson (D-NY) has agreed to introduce
legislation to make Juneteenth a state holiday in New York," states
Patricia Deans, Director of the New York Juneteenth Holiday Campaign.
"We have been celebrating Juneteenth in Brooklyn at the Brownsville
Heritage House since 1998. It is exciting to see Juneteenth grow in
popularity and support as America's 2nd Independence Day celebration."
Senate Resolution 2202, sponsored by Senator Sampson, on June
5, 2001, urged Governor George Pataki to proclaim the "19th of June" as
Juneteenth Freedom Day in the state of New York. It will soon be
followed by legislation by Senator Sampson to establish Juneteenth as a
state holiday.
"Hopefully, New York will become the 8th state to recognize
Juneteenth as a state holiday, following Texas, Oklahoma, Florida,
Delaware. Alaska, Idaho and most recently, Iowa," states Dr. Myers.
"Efforts are continuing to establish Juneteenth as a National Holiday
in America," continues Dr. Myers. "The congress of the United States
passed a historic resolution, in 1997, recognizing Juneteenth
Independence Day in America."
Juneteenth, or the "19th of June", recognizes June19, 1865, in
Galveston, TX, when Union General Gordon Granger announced freedom for
all slaves in the Southwest. This was the last major vestige of slavery
in the United States following the end of the Civil War. This occurred
more than two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was
signed and enforced by President Abraham Lincoln. Upon the reading of
General Order #3 by General Granger, the former slaves celebrated
jubilantly, establishing America's second Independence Day Celebration
and the oldest African-American holiday observance.
"We are collecting 1 million signatures on petitions urging President
Bush to issue a Presidential Proclamation to establish Juneteenth as a
National Holiday Observance," states Dr. Myers. "As the former Governor
of Texas, where Juneteenth began as a paid state holiday in 1980,
President Bush should understand the historic opportunity Juneteenth
represents to bring all Americans together to promote greater
understanding of freedom, racial reconciliation and healing."
For information on the New York Juneteenth Holiday Campaign
contact Patricia Deans of the Brownsville Heritage House at
718-385-1111, e-mail: brownsvilleheritagehouse@yahoo.com. For
information on the WASHINGTON JUNETEENTH 2002 National Holiday
Observance and the National Juneteenth Holiday Campaign call Dr. Myers
at 202-331-8864, 662-247-1471, e-mail: myersfound@aol.com, web sites:
www.19thofJune.com, www.njclc.com or www.njof.org. For information on
the 5th Annual National Juneteenth Convention and Expo contact John
Thompson of Juneteenth America, Inc. at 909-988-5810, e-mail:
juneteentham@earthlink.net, web site: www.juneteenthconvention.com.