HR1369 - Commemorating the 160th anniversary of the first Juneteenth celebration and extending best wishes to the people of Galveston as they observe the holiday.

      H.R. No. 1369       R E S O L U T I O N          WHEREAS, Residents of Galveston are gathering on June 18,   2025, to mark the 160th anniversary of Juneteenth; and          WHEREAS, Sponsored by the City of Galveston and the   Juneteenth 160th Commemorative Celebration Committee, the event   pays tribute to this special anniversary milestone in the city   where Juneteenth began; and          WHEREAS, On June 19, 1865, two years after President Abraham   Lincoln delivered the Emancipation Proclamation, General Gordon   Granger arrived with his troops at Galveston to issue General Order   No. 3, which stated that "The people of Texas are informed   that . . . all slaves are free"; the long-delayed news traveled   throughout the state and was received with jubilation by the   approximately 250,000 Texans who had been released from bondage;   and          WHEREAS, The annual emancipation celebrations on June 19   became known as Juneteenth, and the event grew in popularity and   later spread to other parts of the country; in 1979, Texas became   the first state to make Juneteenth an official state holiday, and a   federal holiday, Juneteenth National Independence Day, was   established in 2021; through the years, Galveston has remained an   important center for the observance due to the city's historical   role in the events of 1865 and the vibrant festivities that mark the   occasion; and          WHEREAS, In this 160th anniversary year, the Texas   Legislature passed two important bills related to Juneteenth; House   Concurrent Resolution 6 designates Galveston as the official   Juneteenth Capital of Texas, while House Bill 554 amends state law   to permit retail sale of fireworks on and immediately before the   holiday; and          WHEREAS, For 160 years, Juneteenth has provided a joyous   opportunity to reaffirm allegiance to the fundamental principles of   freedom and equality, and in 2025, the residents of Galveston have   the honor of marking this occasion in the official Juneteenth   Capital of Texas; now, therefore, be it          RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas   Legislature hereby commemorate the 160th anniversary of the first   Juneteenth celebration and extend sincere best wishes to the people   of Galveston as they observe the holiday.     Leo Wilson     ______________________________   Speaker of the House                 I certify that H.R. No. 1369 was adopted by the House on June   1, 2025, by a non-record vote.     ______________________________   Chief Clerk of the House