June 18, 2020
To My Hunter Mill District Neighbors:
Our community and our country are having a robust conversation on racial equity and changes that need to take place. This conversation can be uncomfortable and sometimes even painful, but it is long overdue.
In this vein
Governor Northam announced
earlier this week that he intends to mark Juneteenth as a permanent paid state holiday and is giving state employees a day off tomorrow (this includes offices such as DMV). Virginia has long marked Juneteenth by issuing a proclamation, but the date has not previously been considered a state holiday. Using authority delegated to him by the Board of Supervisors earlier this year under the COVID-19 emergency resolution,
County Executive Bryan Hill also declared tomorrow – Friday, June 19, 2020 – as a Fairfax County holiday.
Juneteenth commemorates the day in 1865 that word of the Emancipation Proclamation and the end of the Civil War finally reached enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, effectively marking the end of slavery in the United States.
A
s a
student of history and a
member of the Board of Supervisors,
I am happy
to support the county's commemoration of this important day in our U.S. history. Please note that many county services will be closed, including the Library's curbside pickup program.
Learn more
.
The photo above is a coin from the 2015 celebration of the 150th anniversary of Juneteenth and reminds us that we are celebrating families and communities. In that light, I
encourage you as a community member to participate in the online celebration by the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
–
"Juneteenth: A Celebration of Resilience"
on Friday, June 19 and Saturday, June 20. It is a meaningful opportunity to learn about Juneteenth and our African American history.
Have a great weekend everyone!
Respectfully,
Walter
Please note that county offices are closed tomorrow and we will not have the Friday, June 19 coronavirus update. You will find updated information here:
Current Number of Cases in the Fairfax Health District
- Daily reported case information for the Fairfax Health District: here and scroll down to get to ZIP Code data.
- Daily reported case information throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia: here and ZIP Code data look for Data Download bar.