LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 40th consecutive Juneteenth
Festival Parade upon the occasion of the Juneteenth 40th Anniversary
Gala on May 15, 2015

WHEREAS, Juneteenth is the oldest-known celebration of the ending of
slavery; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to commemorate the 40th
consecutive Juneteenth Festival Parade upon the occasion of the June-
teenth 40th Anniversary Gala on May 15, 2015; and
WHEREAS, This year marks the 150th Anniversary of celebrating June-
teenth which began on June 19, 1865, the date Union soldiers under the
command of Major General George Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas,
with the news that the Civil War had ended and that all slaves were
free; and
WHEREAS, One of General Granger's first orders was Order No. 3 which
was read aloud to the people of Texas and which stated: "The people of
Texas are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Exec-
utive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an abso-
lute equity of rights and rights of property between masters and former
slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that
between employer and free laborer."; and
WHEREAS, Many of the newly-freed slaves stayed in their locations to
learn about the new employer/employee relationship between themselves
and their former masters, while others chose to reach family members in
other states, and still others chose to move to the Northern states; and
WHEREAS, Settling into new areas as free men and women brought on new
realities and challenges of establishing a heretofore non-existent
status for Black people in America; and
WHEREAS, The celebration of Juneteenth allowed freed slaves and their
descendants to recount the memories of that great day in 1865 when free-
dom was proclaimed, and also served as a release from the pressures of
settling into new territories; and
WHEREAS, The Juneteenth Festival of Buffalo was started in 1976 by
B.U.I.L.D., a community-based organization, as a culturally relevant
alternative to the country's Bicentennial Celebration; murals were
painted and vendors set up booths to sell ethnic foods and wares, and
entertainment and festivity were abundant; and
WHEREAS, After several years, the Juneteenth Festival outgrew Jeffer-
son Avenue; it is now held in Martin Luther King Jr. Park at the inter-
section of Best Street and Fillmore Avenue; and
WHEREAS, The goals of Juneteenth Buffalo include: administer educa-
tional and cultural programs to enhance awareness of the broad spectrum
of African American heritage and culture; assemble, maintain and make
available materials on the culture and heritage of African Americans;
and encourage, organize and promote the collective participation of
organizations which develop strong family ties and ethnic pride and
support and promote economic progress in the African American community;
and
WHEREAS, While Juneteenth is a time for celebration, it is also a time
for reflection, education and self-improvement; celebration participants
listen to elders recount the past, attend prayer services, and learn
from educational speakers; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 40th consecutive Juneteenth Festival Parade upon the
occasion of the Juneteenth 40th Anniversary Gala on May 15, 2015; and be
it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the Juneteenth Festival Parade Committee.