title
Designate Juneteenth an Official Town Holiday.
body
Staff:
Department:
Maurice Jones, Town Manager
Town Manager's Office
Amy Oland, Director
Business Management
Overview: Juneteenth is a holiday observing the end of slavery in the United States. On June 19th, 1865, two months after the Civil War ended and two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, General Gordon Granger of the United States Army declared the end of slavery in the state of Texas. One year later, a group of freedman celebrated the first "Jubilee Day" to commemorate the occasion. Jubilee Day eventually became known as Juneteenth. Although observed in many states around the country, few states honor the event as an official holiday. A number of localities around the state of North Carolina have recently voted to make Juneteenth an official holiday or are considering doing so.
Recommendation(s):
That the Council designate Juneteenth as an official town holiday beginning June 19th, 2021 and urge our state and federal legislators to sponsor legislation making Juneteenth an official state and federal holiday.
Key Issues:
* If approved, Juneteenth will become the Town's 12th official holiday.
Fiscal Impact/Resources: Additional costs associated with an official Town holiday are primarily related to the holiday pay for employees who must work during the holiday.
Attachments:
* Resolution
A RESOLUTION DESIGNATING JUNETEENTH AN OFFICIAL TOWN HOLIDAY (2020-09-09/R-5)
WHEREAS, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1st, 1863, declaring "all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free;" and
WHEREAS, Confederate General Robert E. Lee, surrendered to United States General Ulysses S. Grant on April 9th, 1865, thus effectively ending the Civil War; and
WHER...
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