PRINTER'S NO. 3954
No. 600 Session of 2002
INTRODUCED BY MYERS, LEDERER, THOMAS, FORCIER, LESCOVITZ, MANN, GEORGE, JAMES, RUBLEY, BELARDI, GABIG, HERMAN, CALTAGIRONE, WASHINGTON, D. EVANS, TIGUE, WATSON, STURLA, SANTONI, CRUZ, HENNESSEY, KIRKLAND, ROBINSON, HORSEY, J. WILLIAMS, DeWEESE, CORRIGAN, J. EVANS, WALKO, HESS, DALEY, TANGRETTI, YOUNGBLOOD, GEIST, CORNELL, WOJNAROSKI, SHANER, B. SMITH, BISHOP, MANDERINO, CAPPELLI, BEBKO-JONES, DONATUCCI, ROEBUCK, MELIO, COSTA, HERSHEY, McILHATTAN, WATERS, DERMODY, LAUGHLIN, TRELLO, BELFANTI, McNAUGHTON, GRUCELA, JOSEPHS, McCALL, READSHAW, CREIGHTON, MUNDY, HARHAI, PALLONE, ROSS, STEELMAN, BROWNE AND FREEMAN, JUNE 5, 2002
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, JUNE 5, 2002
A RESOLUTION 1 Designating the third Saturday of June 2002 as "Juneteenth 2 National Freedom Day" in Pennsylvania. 3 WHEREAS, Originating in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, 4 when slaves in that state learned that they had been freed, 5 "Juneteenth National Freedom Day" is the oldest African-American 6 holiday observance in the United States; and 7 WHEREAS, "Juneteenth National Freedom Day" commemorates the 8 survival instinct of Africans who endured a transatlantic 9 journey known as the Middle Passage on slave ships from their 10 homeland to this country; and 11 WHEREAS, Approximately 11.5 million Africans survived the 12 harsh voyage to slave markets in the New World during the late 13 17th century, and the slave population in the American colonies
1 grew quickly; and 2 WHEREAS, "Juneteenth National Freedom Day," further 3 commemorates the impact of slavery, the abolition movement and 4 African-American emancipation in the United States and has 5 become a traditional celebration of independence, human rights 6 and African-American culture in many communities; therefore be 7 it 8 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the 9 third Saturday of June 2002 as "Juneteenth National Freedom Day" 10 in Pennsylvania. D2L82JS/20020H0600R3954 - 2 -