LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to
proclaim October 6, 2016, as German-American Day in the State of New
York

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize official
days that are set aside to increase awareness of issues that affect the
lives of citizens of New York State; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, it is the sense of this Legislative Body to memori-
alize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim October 6, 2016, as German-
American Day in the State of New York; and
WHEREAS, The German American ethnic group consists of Americans who
have full or partial German ancestry; and
WHEREAS, German Americans make up 50 million people of the United
States population; and
WHEREAS, German Americans were attracted to this country by religious
freedom and abundance opportunity; and
WHEREAS, German-American Day is celebrated annually and commemorates
the date in 1683 when 13 German families from Krefeld near the Rhine
landed in Philadelphia;
WHEREAS, These families founded Germantown, Pennsylvania, the first
German settlement in the original 13 American colonies; and
WHEREAS, Celebrations originated in the 19th Century and German-Ameri-
can Day died out during World War I as a result of the anti-German
sentiment; and
WHEREAS, In 1983, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed October 6th as
German-American Day to celebrate and honor the 300th Anniversary of
German American immigration and contribution to the culture of the
United States; and
WHEREAS, Germantown Quakers were the first to petition against slavery
in the English colonies; this petition was drafted by Francis Daniel
Pastorius and signed by him and three other German Quakers living in
Germantown, Pennsylvania on behalf of the Religious Society of Friends;
and
WHEREAS, Pioneers who settled our great country often spoke a German
dialect; they settled towns like Milwaukee, Cincinnati and St. Louis;
and
WHEREAS, Beer, a famous German beverage, was perfected in these cities
and produced for mass consumption; and
WHEREAS, New York has benefited from German Americans and their
culture; the port of entry to our great country started within the State
of New York for many ethnic groups; and
WHEREAS, Germans Americans settled on the Lower East Side and York-
ville in the Borough of Manhattan; the lasting impact of German influ-
ence can be seen in buildings architecture in the neighborhood of York-
ville; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim October 6, 2016, as
German-American Day in the State of New York; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New
York.