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

89(R) HR 1369 - Enrolled version - Bill Text

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