[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 133, 116th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
Proclamation 9899 of May 31, 2019

National Caribbean-American Heritage Month, 2019

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

During National Caribbean-American Heritage Month, we acknowledge the
significant ways Caribbean Americans have shaped our culture and
heritage. Americans with roots in the Caribbean have greatly enriched
our society, contributing to the arts, business, journalism, technology,
government, religion, the military, sports, and many other fields.
Through his dedication to his faith, Joseph Sandiford Atwell exemplified
the unyielding spirit of Caribbean Americans. Born in Barbados in 1831,
Atwell moved to the United States in 1863 and attended the Philadelphia
Divinity School. Following the Civil War, he went to spread God's
message of hope and love to the emancipated slaves in the South. Due to
the strength of his ministry, he became the first black Episcopal deacon
ordained in the Diocese of Kentucky and went on to become the first
black Episcopal priest in the Diocese of Virginia.
Earlier this year, I met with the leaders of the Commonwealth of The
Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, the Republic of Haiti, Jamaica, and
Saint Lucia to reaffirm our partnership with the Caribbean. We discussed
how we can bring greater prosperity to this important region, including
potential opportunities for energy investment and enhanced trade
partnerships. We made tremendous progress, and we will build on these
discussions to strengthen further the relationship we share with our
Caribbean neighbors.
This month, we recognize the vibrant culture and patriotism of Caribbean
Americans that continue to bolster our country and enrich our lives, and
we pay tribute to the strong friendship between the United States and
the countries of the Caribbean.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, 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 2019 as National
Caribbean-American Heritage Month. I encourage all Americans to join in
celebrating the history, culture, and achievements of Caribbean
Americans with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of
May, in the year of our Lord two thousand nineteen, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-
third.
DONALD J. TRUMP