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PROCLAMATION: Juneteenth in the Town of Berlin, MA

As voted by the Select Board on June 7, 2021
Posted on: June 9, 2021 - 6:02pm

PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, declaring the slaves in Confederate territory free, paving the way for the passing of the 13th Amendment on January 31, 1865 and ratified later that year, formally abolishing slavery in the United States of America;

WHEREAS, word about the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation was delayed some two- and one-half years, to June 19, 1865, in reaching authorities and African-Americans in the South and Southwestern United States as various fronts of the war raged on.  It was on that day that Union Major General Gordon Granger and his 2,000 troops landed in Galveston, Texas and announced that the Civil War had ended.  Major General Granger also read aloud a proclamation declaring that all enslaved people were free, announcing:

. . . the people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free . . . This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labour . . .;

WHEREAS, the first JUNETEENTH was informally celebrated a year later in Texas.  Texas became the first state to formally adopt JUNETEENTH as a holiday in 1979. Today JUNETEENTH is recognized across the country to mark this important milestone;

WHEREAS, June 19th has a special meaning to African-Americans, and is called "JUNETEENTH" combining the words June and Nineteenth, and has been celebrated by the African-American community for over 150 years;

WHEREAS, JUNETEENTH has been encoded in Massachusetts General Law Chapter 6, Section 15BBBBB titled “Juneteenth Independence Day” by signature of Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker on June 19, 2020; and

WHEREAS, the 117th Congress 1st Session has advanced H.R. 1320 seeking to amend title 5, United States Code, to establish Juneteenth Independence Day as a Federal holiday (“Juneteenth National Independence Day Act”).  Said legislation is co-sponsored by 160 lawmakers;

NOW, THEREFORE, we, the Select Board of the Town of Berlin, Massachusetts, do hereby declare

  • Saturday, June 19, 2021, as JUNETEENTH in the Town of Berlin, Massachusetts, and
  • Urge all citizens to become more aware of the significance of this celebration in African-American History and in the heritage of our nation and in our local community, and
  • The Select Board also declares that JUNETEENTH shall be celebrated hereafter on June 19th of each subsequent year, and
  • The Select Board directs this Declaration to be shared with 3rd Massachusetts District House Representative Lori Trahan, a co-sponsor, the House Oversight Committee and Massachusetts U.S. Senators  to show the highest support for immediate passage of H.R. 1320. 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we have set our hands and caused the seal of the Town of Berlin to be affixed this 7th day of June, 2021.

BERLIN SELECT BOARD

Margaret Stone, Chair

R. Scott Hawkins, Vice Chair

Christine Keefe, Clerk