April 14, 2005, Introduced by Senators SCOTT, SCHAUER, GOSCHKA, THOMAS, BRATER, CLARKE, SWITALSKI, JACOBS, CLARK-COLEMAN, HARDIMAN, BASHAM, CHERRY and OLSHOVE and referred to the Committee on Local, Urban and State Affairs.
A bill to designate the third Saturday in June as Juneteenth
national freedom day.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 1. (1) The legislature recognizes that slavery existed in
this country for more than 200 years. Millions of African-Americans
were brought to this country as slaves stacked in the bottom of
slave ships in a 5- to 12-week journey across the Atlantic Ocean
known as the "middle passage". Although approximately 11-1/2
million African-Americans survived the voyage across the ocean, the
number of those who died in the inhuman conditions of the passage
is probably even higher. Once in this country, the captives were
subjected to whipping, castration, branding, and rape.
(2) The legislature further observes that congress passed the
thirteenth amendment to the United States constitution on January
31, 1865, abolishing slavery throughout the United States and its
territories. In the following months, spontaneous celebrations
erupted throughout the country whenever African-Americans learned
of their freedom. News of the amendment reached the states at
different times, and it was not until June 19, 1865 that the
message of freedom reached the slaves in the western states. In
honor of this great moment in the history of our nation, the
legislature declares that the third Saturday in June of each year
shall be known as "Juneteenth National Freedom Day".
(3) The legislature encourages individuals, educational
institutions, and social, community, religious, labor, and business
organizations to pause on Juneteenth national freedom day and
reflect upon the strong survival instinct of the African-American
slaves and the excitement and great joy with which African-
Americans first celebrated the abolition of slavery. It is a
reminder to all Americans of the status and importance of Americans
of African descent as American citizens.