[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 81 (Friday, June 17, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1277]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    COMMEMORATION OF JUNETEENTH DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENJAMIN L. CARDIN

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 17, 2005

  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be here today to celebrate 
the 140th Anniversary of Juneteenth Day. Today we remember the events 
of June 19, 1865, when Major General Gordon Granger led his Union 
troops through Galveston, Texas, to spread the news of the Emancipation 
Proclamation. This was more than two years after President Lincoln 
issued this directive. Initially celebrated by African Americans who 
had been slaves in the southwest, Juneteenth Day officially 
commemorates the ending of slavery in the United States.
  This important anniversary represents how far we have come as a 
nation. With an emphasis on freedom, education, and achievement, 
Juneteenth Day recognizes the ending of one of the most sinister 
periods in our Nation's history and the beginning of a new era of 
liberty, not just for the slaves that were freed, but for all 
Americans.
  Today, a growing number of Americans celebrate Juneteenth Day. People 
of all faiths, races, and creeds from cities and towns across our 
country are gathering together to both rejoice in the progress this 
Nation has made and reflect upon how much work there is still to be 
done. We celebrate this day by spending time with our close friends and 
family, enjoying ourselves and listening to others.
  In my own district in the State of Maryland, Juneteenth Day is being 
observed at Fort McHenry. In addition, on June 22nd, the members of the 
Boys and Girls Club of Central Maryland will re-enact the events of 
that historic day.
  By celebrating this holiday, we recognize the progress that this 
Nation has made in advancing the fundamental values to which we, as a 
country hold true--life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
  I call upon my colleagues to join me in celebrating this monumental 
day. Juneteenth Day has become part of the fabric of this Nation's 
history, and deserves to be acknowledged and celebrated.

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