Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today issued an Executive Order recognizing Juneteenth as a holiday for state employees, in recognition of the official emancipation of African Americans throughout the United States. The Governor will also advance legislation to make Juneteenth an official state holiday next year.
“Friday is Juneteenth – a day to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States – and it’s a day that is especially relevant in this moment in history,” Governor Cuomo said. “Although slavery ended over 150 years ago, there has still been rampant, systemic discrimination and injustice in this state and this nation, and we have been working to enact real reforms to address these inequalities. I am going to issue an Executive Order recognizing Juneteenth as a holiday for state employees and I’ll propose legislation next year to make it an official state holiday so New Yorkers can use this day to reflect on all the changes we still need to make to create a more fair, just and equal society.”
Assembly Member Alicia Hyndman said, “..When peace come they read the Emancipation law to the slaves people, they spent that night singin and shoutin. They wasn’t slaves no more.” – Former Slave Pierce Harper, 1937 WPA Slave Narratives of Texas, speaking about hearing he was free two and half years after his given freedom in Texas, NY. Black Emancipation Day, June 19th, 1865 also known as Juneteenth is pivotal in the joy, congregation, and spiritual well being of black people in America. I am pleased that the work I have done to solidify Juneteenth as a holiday in the State of New York is coming to fruition. I look forward to working with my colleagues and the Governor to ensure black history and liberation stays at the forefront of progress.”
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when the news of liberation came to Texas more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation went into effect on January 1, 1863. African Americans across the state were made aware of their right to freedom on this day when Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston with federal troops to read General Order No. 3 announcing the end of the Civil War and that all enslaved were now free, as well as to maintain a presence in Texas for the purpose of enforcement of emancipation among slave-owners throughout the state.
The following is a transcript of the Governor’s remarks on the Juneteenth Executive Order:
This is one of the best days for New York since we have started this long journey into a dark night. Day 109 since we started this, a life-changing journey. Day 24 since the civil unrest started after Mr. Floyd’s murder. We have the New York State Reform and Reinvention Collaborative. I believe this is going to be transformational for the State of New York. I believe it is the single best chance for real change, real reform. Seize the moment, carpe momentum.
People have said we have to change our police departments and our public safety strategy. Now is the time to do it, and they happen to be right. We have April 1 as the deadline. 288 days, and counting, for local governments to enact real reform. And we mean real reform, we mean start with a blank sheet of paper, and come up with your vision, for your public safety department, in your community. What do you want it to be, and what do you want it not to be? What is the use of force policy for your department? What is the staffing level? What does demilitarize the police mean in your community? People talk about defunding the police. What is the budget that you want for the police, which you can only arrive at after you determine what staffing you want for the police? What is your transparent disciplinary process? How do you want your police department to work in your community, in your city, in your county? And the collaborative means elected officials, police officials, community activists, put everybody at the table and answer the questions. What we have determined from this period of unrest and demonstration, from the beginning of which I said I stand with the protesters, we need to change. We need reform. Good. Second question, what change, what reform do you want? And how do we do it? That’s the intelligent progression of this moment towards action. And this moment without action is a wasted moment.
Make change when you can make change. Make change when the planets line up to change. After the Sandy Hook massacre, passed sensible gun control. The nation saw children massacred in a classroom. They were outraged. They should have been. Turn the outrage into action. How do you turn outrage into action in society? By actually coming up with a new policy and making it a reality. But that starts with leadership, and it starts with the leadership on the local level. Somebody stand up and lead. Mayor, stand up and lead. City council president, stand up and lead. City council person in charge of public safety, stand up and lead. 288 days. Who has the paper, who has the pen, who’s calling the meeting? I ask that question to every one of the 500 communities in this state that have a police department. Who’s doing it in your city? Who’s doing it in your county? Only 288 days, and a lot of work to do in 288 days. Everyone says what they’re against. Great. What are you for? And how do we do it? That’s the question. Show some leadership.
Friday is Juneteenth. It commemorates the emancipation of slavery in the United States. It is a day that we should all reflect upon. It’s a day that’s especially relevant in this moment in history. I’m going to sign an executive order today, hence all my pens, recognizing Juneteenth as a holiday for state employees, and I’m going to propose legislation next year to make it an official state holiday.
