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11 <br /> <br />James Williams, former public defender and the Chair of the Bicentennial Committee, <br />made comments. <br />Commissioner Price read the proclamation: <br /> <br />ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING DECEMBER 6, 2017 AS <br />ABOLITION DAY <br /> <br />WHEREAS, on the sixth day of December, 1865, the 13th Amendment to the United States <br />Constitution was ratified, officially abolishing slavery in the entire United States; <br />and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, this historic piece of legislation occurred almost three years after President <br />Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation which freed only those <br />people held in slavery in the rebelling states; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, Amendment XIII. Section 1 of the United States Constitution reads: “Neither <br />slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof <br />the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or <br />any place subject to their jurisdiction”; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, the 13th Amendment marked the beginning of attempts to provide protections and <br />liberties to formerly enslaved persons, primarily the sons and daughters of <br />Africa as well as Indigenous Peoples; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, the journey to freedom has been and continues to be a protracted and arduous <br />journey whereupon women, men and children have endured violence and pain; <br />and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, despite the advancements made throughout the past 152 years toward liberation <br />and equity, people still are fighting against policies and practices intended to <br />disenfranchise them and divest them of their humanity, citizenship and dignity; <br />and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, historically marginalized and oppressed people nevertheless remain encouraged <br />and emboldened by the spirit of their ancestors to continue the march for the <br />full measure of freedom that they believe they shall achieve one day; <br /> <br />NOW, THEREFORE, we, the Orange County Board of Commissioners, do hereby proclaim that <br />December 6, 2017 shall be recognized as ABOLITION DAY throughout the <br />County, and urge all residents to support and engage in the ongoing struggle <br />to ensure freedom and justice for all of humanity…locally, nationally and <br />globally. <br /> <br />This the 4th day of December 2017. <br /> <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Price, seconded by Commissioner Jacobs for the <br />Board to approve and authorize the Chair to sign the Proclamation Recognizing December 6, <br />2017 as Abolition Day in Orange County.