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Doña Ana County proclaims June 19 as Juneteenth; NAACP, residents address board
Summary
The county issued a proclamation recognizing June 19 as Juneteenth and heard remarks from the local NAACP president and residents during the ceremony and public comment.
Doña Ana County issued a proclamation on June 10 recognizing June 19 as Juneteenth, noting the holiday commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans and encouraging residents to observe events across the county.
Commissioner Reynolds read the proclamation and invited Bobby Green, who was introduced as president of the local NAACP chapter, to speak. "This celebration and the fact that you would take times year after year to celebrate Juneteenth and to recognize the victories that we have won and how we can do it again makes me smile," Green said.
Reynolds framed Juneteenth as a moment to commemorate emancipation and to recommit to racial equity and civic engagement. Public commenters also addressed the board during the event. Resident Corey Stone Fielder urged officials to use the holiday to "recommit to justice," noting contemporary debates around teaching history, voting rights and civil rights protections.
The county manager executed the proclamation on behalf of the county; the text in the public record references the Emancipation Proclamation (Jan. 1, 1863) and the arrival of Union troops in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865. The proclamation invited residents to events hosted by local organizations including the NAACP, New Mexico State University and municipal partners. The action was recorded as a county proclamation during the June 10 meeting; the county manager signed the proclamation that day.
The board did not record an additional roll-call vote for the proclamation; the item was presented and the proclamation was read and executed on the record.
