President Barack Obama

                                                  NATIONAL JUNETEENTH OBSERVANCE FOUNDATION (NJOF)


July 27, 2009


President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20500

Dear President Obama:

Thank you for your statement this year concerning Juneteenth in America. Unfortunately, you were not able to participate in any Juneteenth activities in June. We again extend an invitation for you to participate in our WASHINGTON JUNETEENTH  National Holiday Observance in 2010.

As you know, Juneteenth, or the "19th of June", recognizes June 19, 1865, in Galveston, TX, when Union General Gordon Granger announced freedom from enslavement in the Southwest, the last major geographic vestige of enslavement in the United States following the end of the Civil War. This occurred more than two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued by President Abraham Lincoln. Upon the reading of General Order #3 by General Granger, our ancestors trapped in the tyranny of enslavement celebrated jubilantly, establishing America's second Independence Day Celebration and the oldest African American holiday observance.

Juneteenth is now recognized as a state holiday or state holiday observance in 31 states and the District of Columbia. Many more states will be passing Juneteenth holiday observance legislation in 2010. The U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives first officially recognized Juneteenth in 1997, during the 105th Congress, and continues to pass similar legislation every year.

We would be honored for you to issue a Presidential Proclamation to establish Juneteenth Independence Day as a National Day of Observance in America, similar to Flag Day or Patriot Day.

It is our understanding that the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives must then vote to suspend their rules against the official recognition of a holiday or commemorative day in order to introduce legislation to officially recognize Juneteenth Independence Day as a National Day of Observance, in support of a Presidential Proclamation

We are again working with members of the U.S. Senate to support the passage of a Senate Apology For Slavery with concurring legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives. It was wonderful to learn of the U.S. House of Representatives Apology For Slavery and Jim Crow sponsored by Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN) in 2008 and similiar legislation that was passed in the U.S. Senate in June. We hope to have the legislation passed during the week of Juneteenth 2010 with both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate concurring on legislation in 2010.

Our first National Day of Reconciliation and Healing From the Legacy of Enslavement was the result of the second historic introduction of Congressional Apology For Slavery legislation by former Congressman Tony Hall (D-OH) on Juneteenth, the “19th of June”, 2000. As the leader of the “Modern Juneteenth Movement” in America, I was honored to work closely with Congressman Hall on the apology as an important step toward racial healing and reconciliation in America. Since that time, several states have passed apology for slavery legislation including Virginia, Alabama, North Carolina, Maryland, New Jersey and Florida.

America needs healing from the scars of enslavement. The annual observance of Juneteenth in America affords the country a tremendous opportunity to constructively reflect on our legacy of enslavement and move forward as a unified nation. As the leader of our country, your public participation in Juneteenth will be instrumental in bringing all Americans together in a spirit of unity and reconciliation.

We prayerfully invite you to address those in attendance at our National Juneteenth Black Holocaust "Maafa" Memorial Service which is part of the annual National Day of Reconciliation and Healing From the Legacy of Enslavement, held on the "3rd Friday in June". The service will take place on June 18, 2010. The worship service is scheduled to begin at 11:30 am, at Lincoln Park United Methodist Church, Rev. Dr. Diane Dixon-Proctor, Pastor, 1301 North Carolina Avenue, N.E., in Washington, DC.

We also request your support for "June is Black Music Month!" - CELEBRATING JUNETEENTH JAZZ - "Preserving Our African American Jazz Legacy!" through the National Association of Juneteenth Jazz Presenters (NAJJP). We hope to schedule an annual performance of the AAJC/HBCU Student All-star Big Band during the WASHINGTON JUNETEENTH National Holiday Observance at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. It will also be an honor for these talented college music students to perform for you at the White House.

Thank you for your continued participation and support for our annual WASHINGTON JUNETEENTH National Holiday Observance.

Sincerely,


Rev. Ronald V. Myers, Sr., M.D.
Founder & Chairman
National Juneteenth Observance Foundation (NJOF)
National Juneteenth Christian Leadership Council (NJCLC)
National Juneteenth Holiday Campaign
National Association of Juneteenth Jazz Presenters (NAJJP)

enclosures

Informational Flyer – 2010 National Day of Reconciliation and Healing From the Legacy of Enslavement

Calendar of Events – 2010 WASHINGTON JUNETEENTH  National Holiday Observance

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