Travis County Commissioners Court
June 17, 2008
Item 3
3. Approve proclamation recognizing the 19th annual "juneteenth - emancipation day" celebration to be held on Wednesday, June 18, 2008. That's tomorrow.
>> tomorrow, judge.
>> yes, sir.
>> and should I read the proclamation?
>>
>> [indiscernible] do -- if you all want to read it, it's fine with me.
>> it reads whereas Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the united states. Whereas on June 19th, 1865, 2 and a half years after president lincoln's emancipation proclamation, effective June 1st, 1863, major general gordon granger landed at galveston, Texas and proclaimed that the war had ended. And slaves were free. Whereas attempts to explain this two and a half year delay in the yet of this important news have yielded several versions handed down through the years, on the one hand it's reported that the news was deliberately withheld by slave owners to maintain the labor force on plantations on the other hand it's said that federal troops actually waited for the slave owners to reap the benefits of one last cotton harvest. Whereas the reaction to this history making news ranged from pure shock to immediate jubilation. Even with nowhere to go, many slaves felt that leaving the plantation would be their first grasp of freedom. Whereas many slaves left in search of family members, with nothing but the clothes on their backs and a new hope in their hearts. As blacks were freed, they began a long struggle to gain equal rights as american citizens. Whereas while this might seem like ancient history, echos of the Juneteenth story resonate in the struggles people of color face today. Courageous men and women are still fighting for the civil rights of african-americans and whereas June teenth is an occasion that should remind us to continue to strive to replace violence with peace, hatred with love, intolerance with diversity, appreciation and bigotry with respect for all men and women and the 19th an July Travis County and city of Austin employees Juneteenth celebration will be held tomorrow, June 18th, 2008 at wooldridge park plaza from 11 being to 2:00 p.m. Each county employee has a full hour to enjoy his or her emancipation date.
>>
>> [inaudible - no mic]
>> as sheryl brown may do one day.
>> [laughter] now therefore be it resolved that we the members of the Travis County Commissioners court do hereby proclaim June 19th, 2008 as emancipation day in Travis County. We encourage all employees to participate. I move approval.
>> second.
>> thank you very much.
>> [indiscernible] the reason why I say draft there because there is still time for those who have not given a donation, add their name between now and tomorrow. That's why it's a draft. Otherwise the program will proceed pretty much as follows. This year we have additional things that I feel like it would be an injustice to y'all and to all of our colleagues if you do not visit a new museum that sue spears, a lady in the community, real big with black heritage, sharon nance, deborah higgins in the sheriff's department, so many different history, historical artifacts. They actually have a copy of the emancipation proclamation that will be on display there. Posters similar to this. Another one that I have here, very, very interesting. When they start putting this together I got to thinking you have seen different things go through the bob bullock museum. It has nothing compared to this. This is breaking down, I am sure there will be their retirement when they leave here. They can do this. It is very, very impressive. It will be in a section over towards some shade, enclosed area, there will be strips, d.v.d. Strips narrative and everything. You will see some. A lot of it may be difficult to look at. I want you not to be afraid to look at some of the things. Really beautiful things that are positive to look to see where we have come much. But still a long way to go. One example I wanted to show you all, I learned believe it or not, I learned every year, I believe some of my colleagues learned every year, you can't just find out everything that happened at one time. This sign that I'm going to put in front of you is about public sale of negroes, that's the way they used to be listed. And there was a certain house or, you know, established downtown where they would go. A valuable negro woman, accustomed to all kinds of housework. Good plain cook, excellent dairy maid, washes and ironing. Four children, one a girl 13 years of age, another seven, a boy about five and an infant 11 months old. Two of the children will be sold with the mother. The other separately. If it best suits the purchaser. It's just, you know, shows how much value was put on our lives at that time. It was not difficult for them to separate families. Furtherly
>> [inaudible - no mic]
>> you are to take that mic there.
>> I'm sorry.
>> if you are going to move around as you perform.
>> perform.
>> [laughter] just shows how much value was placed on our lives, further down the narrative, I think selling the whole family for $12.50. I want you all not to -- I want people to really come and see that. There are some goods, you will see some of the actors and -- and some of the people and politicians that have come, you know, have made their way. Like I said, still a long way to go. Also we have got to have, where is belinda? New this year, the p.b.o. Mr. Rose in the p.b.o. Department, he's new. And we were so excited he asked them to become the -- to participate with Juneteenth, that has not happened in previous year. They always came and celebrated to have an active and participate in part in our Juneteenth initiated by him. Belinda will tell you something about what's going to happen.
>> okay.
>> p.b.o. Is sponsoring a quilt exhibit at -- we're collecting quilts from people in the county and deanna ramirez in our office and I are active quilters, so we are sponsoring a quilt exhibit, taking donations at the exhibit for the sealy foundation, which leroy can talk to you about. This is one of the quilts that we will be auctioning with the proceeds going to the foundation. And -- and equipmenting is a part of the heritage of the community and particularly in the south. And quilts represent many times blessings or healings or telling stories of a family and so they carry a lot of tradition with them. So -- so those of us that quilt in our spare time are very passionate about quilts. So we appreciate the opportunity to display some for you, hope that you will come about to see that. Leroy can tell you about the recipients of our donation.
>> I know the foundation is not new to you. We have volunteers of mentor, they concentrate, solely mentor children of the incarcerated. All of the donations that belinda and deanna receive on the quilts will go to the seedling foundation. You have pledged to match all of the contributions that all of Travis County makes up to $2,500. So I encourage everyone to -- I look forward to that contribution. Everyone that -- that donates at least $25 will receive a copy of the all -- all alone in the world children of the incarcerated by neil bernstein, that was the book of the year by the san francisco chronicle. I think a number of you have that book. It is best seller. So we do look forward to participating and I encourage everybody to come out to the exhibit. Thank you.
>> right.
>> thank you.
>> deanna
>> [indiscernible]
>> [inaudible - no mic]
>> listen, that quilt is an art.
>> it is art.
>> I mean it is an art,
>> [multiple voices]
>> hoping it will not get lost --
>> sue spears has quilts in her family, I don't know why she's so shy.
>> that is an artist there. I still remember my grandmother making quilts.
>> it's because Commissioner Davis won't let her get a word in edge wise.
>> [laughter]
>> got the cotton to make it laying there, j.c. Penny's on congress, she would lay it out. Didn't throw away anything, rags or anything else. She would cut up those pieces and quilt in the wintertime you were very warm because you knew a quilt was in hand. That's -- that's hopefully not a lost art. It's the history behind it.
>> that's the history.
>> she has a quilt with her family tree. Too large to bring today. But we're going to have several, also the east rural center seniors will be -- carts have agreed to bring them over, they have shared some of their quilts, also. We enjoyed having the seniors last year. We enjoyed them so we wanted more seniors. So east rural community center will be coming over and sharing quilts, also.
>> do you want to talk about food?
>> judge, Commissioners, this year it's going to be an ice cream social, we're going to have snow cones, ice cream, along with chicken fajitas, sausage wrap, frito pie, hot dogs, hamburgers, we're going to have -- good fried chicken wings. I don't know if you guys had the chicken wings last year, but that was excellent! We're going to have fruit cups, they're going to do it again. We're going to have lemonade, corn on the cob, beef nachos, so come on out and enjoy. One of the things that we are particularly proud of this year, we're going to have a master gardener booth. For those who want to get in and learn about plantings and flowers, we're going to have that and particularly appropriate this year, we're going to have a voter registration booth. For those of you out there in travis land who haven't registered to vote, come on out, enjoy today, enjoy the food and register to vote.
>> excellent.
>> thank you.
>> thank you.
>>
>> [indiscernible] part of the Juneteenth committee.
>> everybody -- all of those folks, go on and tell who you are, because
>> [indiscernible] judge up here, I know that we have sponsored host of this, but within all of that, there's a lot of hard work that's been put into this. I just do not want that hard work to not be recognized for what you do. Judge and I are going to make our speeches, say what we need to say. But at the end of the day it's you that make -- did the work and the folks ought to know who is down here. Sheryl if you don't mind making sure that everybody -- please let's say something about the hard work and -- that's been demonstrated and identify yourself please.
>> sue spears, Commissioner Davis's office. I enjoy doing this every year. It's a lot of hard work but it's worth it.
>>
>> [indiscernible] from the district attorney attorney's office, this is the first year that I have been on the committee. I have really enjoyed it. We also are going to have t-shirts for sale that -- that for the Juneteenth celebration. We had a very good lender this year, mr. Marcel. He did excel length work in getting our t-shirts. And our committee members will be wearing those t-shirts and we will have some for sale.
>> okay.
>> chris pena with Commissioner Davis's office.
>> sheryl brown with judge Biscoe's office.
>> we thank you.
>> may the judge say a word or two?
>> you may.
>> the foods that were mentioned will be available at a -- for a small fee.
>> of course.
>> not free.
>> right.
>> the other thing is that this is the 19th one?
>> 19th.
>> I'm happy to say I've been a part of it every year. No public moneys are spent on this. We get contributions from elected officials and participation from county employees and city employees, more county employees probably. And a lot of non-profits in addition to the one mentioned earlier. Benefit from the sale of various goods and items.
>> correct.
>> and the other thing is that what we try to promote is appreciation for cultural diversity in our community as well as here in Travis County, love, peace, and the other good thing for all races. The other thing to sort of historically note when I was young, I'm from east Texas, June teenth was a big holiday there. But it really is celebrated in louisiana, Texas, and southern california of all places. I always said because so many of my relatives moved to southern california they kind of took Juneteenth with them. That's partly true, the other thing is that there are a lot of texans that moved to southern california took the holiday with them. It is a big holiday in southern california. Not quite as big as in Texas, but big. But it's hard to -- hard to find in the other states. Not that I've been to all of them. But if you mention Juneteenth in some states they really don't know what you are talking about. Tomorrow, we look forward to it.
>> we do.
>> I would like to thank the judge for his endurance as far as bringing this on. As he stated he's been a part of this every year. There's been a lot of improvement every year. I've never seen this here. Getting better and better and better. I think you all deserve a round of applause as far as I'm concerned.
>> [ applause ]
>> appreciate it.
>> all in favor? That passes by unanimous vote. Thank you all for your hard work and dedication.
>> thank you.
>> et cetera.
>> now, let's see if we can get a couple of easy ones outs of the way. We see our star flight people there. They are antsy about getting back to work.
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Last Modified:
Tuesday, June 17, 2008 2:31 PM