TITLE
A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING JUNETEENTH, JUNE 19, 2022, IN THE CITY OF GAHANNA
BODY
WHEREAS, Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day, is celebrated each June 19th to commemorate that date in 1865 when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, and enslaved African Americans finally received word that they were free from bondage; and
WHEREAS, Juneteenth is both a date in which citizens remember the immense toll of slavery on Black and African Americans and on the nation and a date in which citizens are encouraged to recommit to the causes of equity, equality, and justice for all; and
WHEREAS, President Biden signed into law Juneteenth as a national holiday and Governor DeWine declared Juneteenth to be a recognized holiday in the State of Ohio both on June 17, 2021; and
WHEREAS, the City Council passed Ordinance 90-2021 on December 20, 2021, which included adding Juneteenth to the list of observed paid holidays; and
WHEREAS, Martin Luther King, Jr., once said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice,” and in celebration of Juneteenth, this Council wishes to participate in recommitting itself to breaking down barriers, bending the arc of the moral universe towards justice, and uniting the Gahanna community as one.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GAHANNA, COUNTY OF FRANKLIN, STATE OF OHIO:
Section 1. That this Council does hereby recognize Juneteenth, June 19, 2022, in the City of Gahanna.
Section 2. That this Council encourages all residents to join in acknowledgement of the weight of this day and commit to bridging the divides, including racial and ethnic biases, that limit the health and vitality of our community, state, and nation.
Section 3. That this Resolution shall be in full force and effect at the earliest period allowed by law.