[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 83 (Wednesday, June 16, 2004)]
[House]
[Page H4267]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING JUNETEENTH

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Weller) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Juneteenth, a day 
of celebration for all Americans. Juneteenth or June 19, 1865, marks 
the day that Major General Gordon Granger landed in Galveston, Texas to 
inform slaves that the Civil War was over and they were now free men 
and women.
  Juneteenth is a day honoring President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation 
Proclamation. It was a Juneteenth that Lincoln's proclamation was 
finally enforced nationwide, 2\1/2\ years after he issued the decree. 
President Lincoln should be honored for his tremendous efforts on 
freeing all of the slaves, and we must recognize this important day in 
our Nation's history.
  Since then, Juneteenth has been a day of celebration largely in the 
African American culture and especially for African Americans in Texas. 
Many communities celebrated in churches or in far off rural areas. But 
as times have changed and more African Americans began to own land and 
to experience freedom, sites were dedicated specifically for 
celebrations and more people began to participate.
  In 1872, Reverend Jack Yates raised $1,000 to purchase a park in 
Houston named Emancipation Park in honor of the Juneteenth holiday. 
With public land acquisitions such as this, more Americans have become 
aware of this event and began to celebrate its heritage.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to take the time to commend President 
Abraham Lincoln. Not only was President Lincoln a great Republican 
abolitionist in history, he was a great leader from my home State of 
Illinois. His vision and dream of freeing slaves was finally a reality 
on June 19th, 1865, the day we now know as Juneteenth. His efforts 
freed thousands, hundreds of thousands of slaves across our Nation.
  Another person that I must note is Owen Lovejoy from Princeton, 
Illinois. Lovejoy is a former Republican Congressman from Bureau County 
and was a pioneer in the abolitionist movement in Congress. In 1863, he 
introduced the Emancipation Proclamation in legislative form to the 
Congress. With the support and leadership of President Lincoln, it was 
passed and became Public Law. He is yet another example of a fighter 
for freedom and liberty. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to serve the 11th 
District of Illinois, the home of former Congressman Owen Lovejoy.
  Today, Juneteenth is not only celebrated by Americans, but by people 
all over the world. More and more communities continue to coordinate 
celebrations, whether it is in the workplace, school, or at home.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage this Congress to mark Juneteenth as the day 
in history that forever changed the lives of thousands of Americans in 
1865 and continues to have an impact on current future generations.
  Mr. Speaker, as this celebration of heritage continues to grow, I 
would like to honor this day of celebration we know as Juneteenth, June 
19, 1865, and encourage all Americans to observe this day of 
emancipation and strength.

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