Philadelphia City Council 2016 Stated Meetings of Philadelphia City Council, 16 Jun 2016

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From YouTube: Philadelphia City Council Presentation to Johnson House Historical Site for Juneteenth 6-16-2016

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Council members Cindy Bass, Helen Gym, Jannie Blackwell, Curtis Jones. Jr, Derek Green and Al Taubenberger lead a presentation declaring the Johnson House Historical Site's Juneteeth Festival to be the official Philadelphia Juneteeth observation during the Stated Meeting held June 16, 2016.

www.philcouncil.com

A

Thank you very much. We will be moving to our next presentation and at this time the chair recognizes Councilwoman bass and Jim, who presented resolution declaring Johnson house historic sites. Annual Juneteenth festival has the full opportunity festival with onyx Finney and those accompany her. Please join the council, ladies at the podium and joining the Councilwoman. We also have councilman Jones Councilwoman Blackwell councilman taubenberger.

B

Good morning, good morning, everyone well today is a celebration and, as we are planning for Juneteenth, which is this coming Saturday, it is our honor and our pleasure to recognize the folks over at Johnson house who have just done an extraordinary job of recognizing and commemorating this very important and special day, not just for the african-american community, but really for all Americans to know and to be aware of, and so we have here today, a resolution and the title of which, which is declaring Johnson house historic sites, annual Juneteenth festival as the Philadelphia Juneteenth Festival and recognizing honoring and celebrating Juneteenth in Philadelphia.

B

As the day when enslaved african-americans were freed in the United States of America more than 150 years ago,.

C

Thank you so much council on just a one, quick statement.

C

Just having been a teacher 20 years ago, I remember taking my fifth grade class to Johnson house on a regular basis and talking about how close history is to us at every moment and as we remember Juneteenth this weekend, and we certainly hope everybody in Philadelphia joints, Johnson house and the celebration there on Saturday all day long that we remembered that the fight continues and the struggle goes on in in ways that our deeper, broader, more important than we thought possible, whereas on jun, 19, 1865 slaves and Galveston Texas were informed that they were free long after slaves were freed.

C

In all other states. Former slaves coined the phrase Juneteenth to celebrate their newfound freedom by combining the month of the occurrence June with the day 19th and.

D

Whereas located on the corner of Germantown Avenue in Washington lane in German towns, neighborhood in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Johnson house stands as a site with the principles of 1688. Germantown protests against slavery were acted upon and is designated as a National Historic Landmark and.

E

Whereas Philadelphia has a rich history for a significant role in the underground railroad and the abolitionist movement, the Johnson house was a station and meeting place for other abolitionists, including conductors Harriet, Tubman and William still and.

F

Whereas Johnson houses stark site is a historic, House, Museum and center for civil and social advocacy. That represents what everyday people have done and can do to make a difference in their community and beyond the creating within their community and beyond, by creating interactive educational opportunities, fostering community initiatives and preserving the historic integrity of the house grounds and out layer, buildings and we're.

G

Out Johnson house historic site will celebrate Juneteenth the oldest nationally celebrated holiday, commemorating the end of slavery, slavery in the United States by leading and organizing and planning for its 10th annual Juneteenth festival on saturday, jun, 18, 2016 and.

B

Whereas the festival attendees enjoy shopping, the arts, food access to educational information from diverse vendors and the opportunity to attend a black colleges matter panel on the history of historically black colleges and universities, now, therefore be resolved by the council of the city of philadelphia that it here by the clouds, declares Johnson house historic sites, annual Juneteenth festival as the Philadelphia Juneteenth Festival, and recognizes honors and celebrates Juneteenth in Philadelphia as a day when enslaved african-americans were free in the United States of America more than 150 years ago, for the resultant an engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to the board of Johnson house historic else, historic site for their leadership and hosting the annual Juneteenth festival and as further evidence of the sincere admiration of this legislative body, and we want to thank the board, the staff, the supporters of Johnson house for maintaining this history spreading the word this is African American history.

B

This is American history and it's important history not to be forgotten. Thank you.

A

The chair recognizes miss beneath the remarks. I'd.

H

Like to thank the academy for this award, I'm joking I've always wanted to say that I'm a graduate of the high school for Performing Arts. So please forgive me. um My name is on xfinity I'm, a board member of Johnson house historic site and some of our board members are here.

H

Connie Swinton at the executive director County Swinson is here: Sheila are Sheila Bennett, one of our board members and our Butler, who will be on our panel on Saturdays here and we'd like to thank on their behalf, City Council for this honor and also councilman al taubenberger, councilman Curtis, Jones, Councilwoman Helen for co-sponsoring this resolution and a big big thank you. Tom phenomenal City, Councilwoman Cindy bats for sponsoring the resolution and always always always always supporting Johnson house Johnson houses.

H

Juneteenth festival is the first and the longest-running Juneteenth celebration and Philly it's a partnership with the 6300 Business Alliance and historic Germantown. The national historic significance of Johnson house celebrating Judeans of Germantown lies in its role and the abolition movement and the Underground Railroad, the Johnson family were considered infidel, abolitionists and when John Brown was captured. After his raid on Harpers Ferry, the Johnsons hid the Brown family post emancipation. The Johnsons continued to advocate for african-americans by signing petitions, so african-americans right could ride.

H

In streetcars, Israel Johnson maintained managed the Institute for call it youth that was dissolved to help create Cheyney University. During our Papa biergarten at Juneteenth, we will host a black colleges matter panel and present. This year's unsung hero award to ena lender Swain Johnson house continues to represent what everyday people can do and have done to make a difference. Although some celebs, like snoop dogg, don't want to relive the painful past, while certain presidential candidates rush to return to a dark time in American history, we must tell our stories celebrate our triumphs.

H

Johnson houses, Juneteenth, that's festival, I mean the Philadelphia. Juneteenth festival is not an event. It is a celebration steeped in tradition, history, heritage and culture. When you come to celebrate Juneteenth in Germantown, you are entering the womb of freedom. Juneteenth is not just a celebration of our past. It is a reminder that there's still so much left to do on behalf of the Johnson house. Bored that, I must say, is intergenerational its interracial and it's multicultural and our board members go from the ages of in the 30s to 85 years old I.

H

Thank you so very much for this honor and I look forward to seeing all of you at Juneteenth.

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