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A Proclamation Celebrating Juneteenth
WHEREAS: President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1,
1863; and
WHEREAS: News of the Emancipation Proclamation did not reach parts of the southern and
southwestern United States until June 19, 1865; and
WHEREAS: For two years, enslaved Black Americans in Texas remained in brutal bondage,
immorally and illegally deprived of their freedom and basic rights; and
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WHEREAS: The 19 of June, referred to as Juneteenth has been commemorated as the de facto
ending of slavery by African American communities for over 150 years; and
WHEREAS: The State of Oregon enacted “black exclusion” laws preventing African Americans
from settling in or owning property in the state; and
WHEREAS: We are reminded that America’s struggle for independence did not end in 1776 or
1865, but continues to this day; and
WHEREAS: The City of Ashland is committed to recognizing its history of racial
discrimination and exclusion.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Tonya Graham urge Ashland to reflect on how far we have come and
take stock of how far we must go, and to celebrate June 19 and the emancipation of all Black
Americans, to commit together to eradicate systemic racism and to honor all those who have
lived and died in pursuit of racial justice and social equity. In Ashland we are better together.
Dated June 18, 2023
Tonya Graham, Mayor
Alissa Kolodzinski, City Recorder