FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (11/28/09)

Contact: Rev. Ronald V. Myers, Sr., M.D., Chairman
             National Juneteenth Holiday Campaign
                National Juneteenth Observance Foundation (NJOF)
                National Juneteenth Christian Leadership Council (NJCLC)
             662-247-3364    662-247-1471
             e-mail: JuneteenthDOC@yahoo.com
             web sites: www.19thofJune.com
                                  www.Juneteenth.us
                                  www.njclc.com
                                  www.JazzWisconsin.com
                                  www.JuneteenthJazz.com

             Mona Adams Winston
             Madison Juneteenth Celebration
                Kujichagulia - Madison Center for Self Determination, Inc.
                Board of Directors
                National Juneteenth Observance Foundation (NJOF)
             608-239-7707
             e-mail: mizmona@att.net
             web sites: www.njof.org
                                  www.madison.com/communities/kujichagulia/events/index.php

             Adrian Griffin
             Milwaukee Juneteenth Day Celebration
                Wisconsin Juneteenth Committee
                National Juneteenth Observance Foundation (NJOF)
             414-372-3770
             e-mail: Agriffin@northcotthouse.org






(Milwaukee, WI) - A historic ceremony has been scheduled for Gov. Jim Doyle to sign legislation to make Juneteenth an official state holiday in Wisconsin. The signing ceremony will take place in Milwaukee, WI, the home of National Juneteeenth Holiday Campaign, Founder & Chairman, Rev. Ronald V. Myers, Sr., M.D., on Tuesday, December 1st, 2009. at 12:15pm. The signing ceremony will take place at Northcott Neighborhood House, 2460 N. 6th Street, at 12:15pm.

"Wisconsin is now the 32nd state to oficially recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday or state holiday observance," states Mona Adams Winston, board member of the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation (NJOF) and Co-Chair of the Madison Juneteenth Celebration, along with Co-Chair Annie Weatherby-Flowers. "We have been celebrating Juneteenth in Madison for 20 years. This is really a historic achievement and I am proud to have been able to speak at the state capitol in favor of this bill."

"We especially appreciate the efforts of State Sen. Spencer Coggs for sponsoring legislation that has made all of this possible," states Mac Weddle, President of the Milwaukee Juneteenth Day Celebration, the oldest Juneteenth event in Wisconsin.

In October, the Wisconsin State Senate passed SB170, sponsored by State Senator Spencer Coggs, with the House of Representatives concurring with the passage of HB 240, recognizing the annual observance of Juneteenth Independence Day as a legal holiday in the state.

"Wisconsin will join Texas, Florida, Oklahoma, Delaware, Alaska, Idaho, Iowa, California, Wyoming, Illinois, Missouri, Connecticut, Louisiana, New Jersey, New York, Colorado, Arkansas, Oregon, Kentucky, Michigan, New Mexico, Virginia, Washington State, Tennessee, Massachusetts, North Carolina, West Virginia, South Carolina, Vermont, Nebraska, Kansas and the District of Columbia in recognizing the end of enslavement in America," states Rev. Ronald V. Myers, Sr., M.D., who grew up celebrating Juneteenth in Milwaukee. "Now that Juneteenth is a state holiday in Wisconsin, I will request that Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI) and Sen. Russell Feingold (D-WI) will co-sponsor legislation in the U.S. Senate to make Juneteenth a National Day of Observance in 2010, by lead sponsor Sen. Roland Burris (D-IL)."

Juneteenth commemorates the day when slaves in the last geographic area in America where slavery existed learned of their freedom. This took place on June 19, 1865, in Galveston, Texas, when Union General Gordon Granger read General Order #3, announcing that "all slaves are free" by Proclamation of President Abraham Lincoln. The Emancipation Proclamation was signed by President Abraham Lincoln on September 22, 1862, and issued on January 1, 1863. It took over two and a half years for the news to travel to southwest Texas.

"This is another significant development in our campaign to establish to make Juneteenth a National Day of Observance in America," states Rev. Ronald V. Myers, Sr., M.D., Chairman of the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation (NJOF). "As more states like Wisconsin pass Juneteenth legislation, we hope that President Barack Obama will finally establish Juneteenth as a National Holiday Observance by issuing a Presidential Proclamation."

Thousands of petitions have been forwarded to the White House urging President Obama to make Juneteenth a National Day of Observance and to establish a Presidential National Juneteenth Commission.

"The official recognition of Juneteenth Independence Day and the end of enslavement by state governments and congress are very significant steps in bringing healing to America from the legacy of enslavement," states Rev., Dr. Myers, also Chairman of the National Juneteenth Christian Leadership Council (NJCLC) and the Founder and Director of the National Day of Reconciliation & Healing From the Legacy of Enslavement during the annual WASHINGTON JUNETEENTH National Holiday Observance.

For information on the National Juneteenth Holiday Campaign, the National Day of Reconciliation & Healing From the Legacy of Enslavement or the WASHINGTON JUNETEENTH National Holiday Observance, contact Rev. Ronald V. Myers, Sr., M.D. at 662-247-3364 or e-mail: JuneteenthDOC@yahoo.com or web sites: www.Juneteenth.us, www.19thofJune.com and www.njclc.com.

For information on the Milwaukee Juneteenth Day Celebration contact Adrian Griffin at 414-372-3770 or e-mail: Agriffin@northcotthouse.org.

For information on the Madison Juneteenth Celebration contact Mono Adams Winston at 608-239-7707; e-mail: mizmona@att.net or web sites: www.njof.com or www.madison.com/communities/kujichagulia/events/index.php.

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