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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> PROCLAMATION <br /> 150TH Anniversary of the <br /> EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION <br /> WHEREAS, the Orange County Human Relations Commission is committed to promoting <br /> equal treatment, opportunity and understanding throughout the community; and <br /> WHEREAS, January 1, 2013 will mark the 150`h Anniversary of the issuance of the <br /> Emancipation Proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln that declared "that all persons held as <br /> slaves"within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free"; and <br /> WHEREAS, by this act, thousands of enslaved African men, women and children were <br /> set free from the degradation of human slavery; and <br /> WHEREAS, this Anniversary commemoration recognizes an important period in our <br /> country's history and "provides an opportunity for all people of the United States to learn more <br /> about the past and to better understand the experiences that have shaped the Nation"; and <br /> WHEREAS, the Orange County Human Relations Commission encourages Orange <br /> County residents to "celebrate in accordance with the spirit, strength, and legacy of freedom, <br /> justice, and equality for all people of America"; and <br /> WHEREAS, Orange County is committed to preserving the progress made in the area of <br /> equality during the last 150 years since the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation; <br /> NOW, THEREFORE, We, the Orange County Board of Commissioners, do hereby acknowledge <br /> the 1501h Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 2013 and encourage and <br /> challenge all County residents to learn more about this historic document throughout the year. <br /> This the 20th day of November 2012. <br /> Bernadette Pelissier, Chair <br /> Orange County Board of Commissioners <br />