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<br /> ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
<br /> BLACK HISTORY MONTH
<br /> PROCLAMATION
<br /> WHEREAS, it is essential to sustain a harmonious and inclusive society, Orange County
<br /> discourages practices and actions deemed detrimental to the peace, welfare, and progress of
<br /> our community; and
<br /> WHEREAS, Black Americans, descendants of people forcibly taken from Africa and subjected to
<br /> the brutalities of slavery, White supremacy, and family separation, have survived and overcome
<br /> over 400 years of systemic oppression, creating a vibrant and dynamic legacy that is central to
<br /> the cultural, economic, and political fabric of this nation; and
<br /> WHEREAS, the resilience, innovation, and indomitable spirit of Black Americans have pushed
<br /> this nation closer to the ideals of freedom, equality, and democracy that the Founders expressed
<br /> but did not fully pursue, even as they have fought tirelessly against the enduring specter of racial
<br /> injustice, oppression, violence, and discrimination; and
<br /> WHEREAS, Black history is not only a celebration of victories won but also a testament to the
<br /> years and lives lost in the pursuit of equity, inclusion, social justice, and liberation; and
<br /> WHEREAS, we honor the legacy of leaders, martyrs, visionaries, and revolutionaries who
<br /> sacrificed safety to defy both legal and illegal acts of oppression, and recognize the current
<br /> generation of leaders who continue to dismantle barriers, uplift communities and pursue justice;
<br /> and
<br /> WHEREAS, Orange County, recognizing it is home to numerous unmarked cemeteries for
<br /> enslaved people, will soon be adding a commemorative headstone collectively marking at least
<br /> 34 individual graves at Blackwood Farms, honoring the lives and legacy of those whose labor
<br /> and sacrifice were foundational to the history of Orange County; and
<br /> WHEREAS, this year's theme of"African Americans and Labor" highlights the vital economic role
<br /> Black Americans have played in the development of the United States, acknowledging that Black
<br /> work — both free and forced — has been critical to the nation's infrastructure, industries, and
<br /> cultural identity, while also underscoring the need for fair labor practices, equitable wages and
<br /> hiring policies, along with workplace justice that continues today;
<br /> NOW, THEREFORE, we, the Board of County Commissioners of Orange County, do proclaim
<br /> February 2025 as "BLACK HISTORY MONTH" and encourage residents to honor this
<br /> distinctive month by becoming more enlightened as to the true history of Black Americans in this
<br /> Country and in our community.
<br /> THIS THE 4t" DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2025.
<br /> Jamezetta Bedford, Chair
<br /> Orange County Board of Commissioners
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