WHEREAS, Our nation was conceived on July 4, 1776, through the Declaration of Independence, with a desire to create a free nation that recognizes the rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all, and

WHEREAS, it was on June 19, 1865, two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation had officially ended the injustice of slavery, that the Union soldiers landed at Galveston, Texas, with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free.

WHEREAS, Juneteenth commemorates the fulfillment of the free nation concept through the Emancipation Proclamation and celebrates the achievements of African Americans in the face of discrimination and hardships; and

WHEREAS, Juneteenth is a time for all Americans to acknowledge a tragic period of injustice and inequality in our history and recognize that discrimination has continued to this day; and

WHEREAS, Juneteenth is also a time to celebrate the lives of African Americans with a recognition of the importance of the history, culture, art and achievement that benefits us all and was made possible through their perseverance and creativity, and recognize their integral influence on the American story at large; and

WHEREAS, this is a special day to recommit to liberty, justice and equality so we can move our community forward, provide opportunities and seek success and happiness for all, and

WHEREAS, Governor Doug Burgum has declared June 19, 2020, Juneteenth Celebration Day in North Dakota, to provide an opportunity for all citizens to renew our shared commitment to equality, reconcile with our past and pursue progress for a stronger, more just democracy.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City of West Fargo formally designates June 19, 2020, as Juneteenth Celebration Day in West Fargo.

To view the Juneteenth Proclamation  click here.