[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 126, 112th Congress, 2nd Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
PROCLAMATION 8835--JUNE 1, 2012

Proclamation 8835 of June 1, 2012

National Caribbean-American Heritage Month, 2012

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Individuals and families from Caribbean countries have journeyed to
America's shores for centuries. Some were brought here against their
will in the bonds of slavery. Some immigrated to America as children,
clutching a parent's hand. Others came as adults, leaving behind
everything they knew in pursuit of a better life in a new world.
Generations of Caribbean Americans have sought to ensure their children
and grandchildren would have the freedom to make of their lives what
they will, and during National Caribbean-American Heritage Month, we
celebrate their rich narratives and recognize their immeasurable
contributions to our country.
Caribbean Americans have shaped every aspect of our society--enhancing
our arts and humanities as titans of music and literature, spurring our
economy as intrepid entrepreneurs, making new discoveries as scientists
and engineers, serving as staunch advocates for social and political
change, and defending our ideals at home and abroad as leaders in our
military. Their achievements exemplify the tenacity and perseverance
embedded in our national character, and their stories embody the
fundamental American idea that when access to opportunity is equal,
anyone can make it if they try.
As we reflect on the myriad ways Caribbean Americans have shaped our
country, we join in commemorating the 50th anniversaries of independence
in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, and we reaffirm the bonds of
friendship we share with our Caribbean neighbors. This month, let us
celebrate the essence of the Nation we all love--an America where so
many of our ancestors have come from somewhere else; a society that has
been enriched by cultures from around the world.


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NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2012 as National
Caribbean-American Heritage Month. I encourage all Americans to
celebrate the history and culture of Caribbean Americans with
appropriate ceremonies and activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of June,
in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of
the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.
BARACK OBAMA