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Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (3/13/08) Contact: Rev. Ronald V. Myers, Sr., M.D., Chairman National Juneteenth Holiday Campaign National Juneteenth Observance Foundation (NJOF) National Juneteenth Christian Leadership Council (NJCLC) 662-247-3364 662-247-1471 e-mail: MyersFound@aol.com web sites: www.19thofJune.com www.Juneteenth.us www.njclc.com Shirley Boyd-Hill, Director Vermont Juneteenth Committee National Juneteenth Observance Foundation (NJOF) 802-849-9272 e-mail: snufgold@verizon.net
Vermont to Become the 29th State to
Recognize Juneteenth as a State Holiday Rep. Mark Lawson Champions Vermont Juneteenth State Holiday Bill National Juneteenth Holiday Campaign Passes Halfway Mark (Montpelier, VT) - Vermont is on track to become the 29th state to recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday or state holiday observance. The Vermont House of Representatives passed H 432, sponsored by State Representative Mark Lawson, establishing the "3rd Saturday in June" as "Juneteenth National Freedom Day" in the state. The measure is now before the Vermont State Senate for approval and then to Governor Jim Douglas for signature. "Vermont will join Texas, Florida, Oklahoma, Delaware, Alaska, Idaho, Iowa, California, Wyoming, Illinois, Missouri, Connecticut, Louisiana, New Jersey, New York, Colorado, Arkansas, Oregon, Kentucky, Michigan, New Mexico, Virginia, Washington State, Tennessee, Massachusetts, North Carolina, West Virginia, South Carolina and the District of Columbia in recognizing the end of slavery in America," states Rev. Ronald V. Myers, Sr., M.D., Chairman of the National Juneteeenth Holiday Campaign. "We especially appreciate the efforts of Rep. Mark Lawson for sponsoring legislation that has made all of this possible," states Shirley Boyd-Hill, Director of the Vermont Junteenth Committee. Juneteenth, or the "19th of June", was recognized by the Congress of the United States as "Juneteenth Independence Day" through the passage of Senate Joint Resolution 11 and House Joint Resolution 56 in 1997. The House of Representatives passed House Concurrent Resolution 155 in 2007 urging President Bush to establish Juneteenth Independence Day as a National Holiday Observance in America. Juneteenth commemorates the day when slaves in the last geographic area in America where slavery existed learned of their freedom. This took place on June 19, 1865, in Galveston, Texas, when Union General Gordon Granger read General Order #3, announcing that "all slaves are free" by Proclamation of President Abraham Lincoln. The Emancipation Proclamation was signed by President Abraham Lincoln on September 22, 1862, and issued on January 1, 1863. It took over two and a half years for the news to travel to southwest Texas. "This is another significant development in our campaign to establish Juneteenth as a National Holiday," states Rev. Ronald V. Myers, Sr., M.D., Chairman of the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation (NJOF). "As more states like Vermont pass Juneteenth legislation, we hope that President George Bush will finally establish Juneteenth as a National Holiday Observance by issuing a Presidential Proclamation." "Juneteenth is a freedom celebration significant for all Americans and the forerunner to the 13th Amendment," states John Thompson, Founder & CEO of Juneteenth America, Inc. host of the annual National Juneteenth Convention and Expo, in Ontario, California. "Juneteenth brings all Americans together to celebrate the end of slavery and freedom," continues Thompson. "Juneteenth is America's 2nd Independence Day." Thousands of petitions have been forwarded to the White House urging President Bush to make Juneteenth a National Holiday Observance and to establish a Presidential National Juneteenth Commission. "The official recognition of Juneteenth Independence Day and the end of slavery by state governments and congress are very significant steps in bringing healing to America from the legacy of slavery," states Rev., Dr. Myers, also Chairman of the National Juneteenth Christian Leadership Council (NJCLC). For information on the National Juneteenth Holiday Campaign, contact Rev. Ronald V. Myers, Sr., M.D. at 662-247-3364 or e-mail: MyersFound@aol.com or web sites: www.Juneteenth.us and www.19thofJune.com. Also contact Vermont Juneteenth Director Shirley Boyd-Hill at 802-849-9272 or e-mail: snufgold@verizon.net For information about the annual National Juneteenth Convention and Expo, contact John Thompson at 909-621-9707 or e-mail: johnharold@juneteenthamerica.us or web site: www.JuneteenthAmerica.us. |