Subject
title
Proclamation Declaring June 2025, as Caribbean-American Heritage Month
end
Department
City Clerk/Director of Council Operations Office
Recommendation
Staff recommends Mayor and Council read and approve the proclamation and present it to Althea Grey-McKenzie, Chair, National Caribbean American Heritage Month Steering Committee.
Discussion
National Caribbean American Heritage Month (NCAHM) began in 1999 with outreach to President Bill Clinton asking for the recognition of August as National Caribbean American Heritage Month. This resulted in the first White House Caribbean American Community Briefing being held at the Clinton White House in 1999.
Congresswoman Barbara Lee led the effort to establish June as Caribbean American Heritage Month over a decade ago. On February 14, 2006, the resolution similarly passed the Senate, culminating a two-year, bipartisan, and bicameral effort. The Proclamation was issued by President George Bush on June 6, 2006.
Since the declaration, the White House has issued an annual proclamation recognizing June as Caribbean-American Heritage Month. This year marks the eighteenth celebration of June as National Caribbean American Heritage Month.
The campaign to designate June as National Caribbean American Heritage Month was spearheaded by Dr. Claire Nelson, Founder, and President of the Institute of Caribbean Studies. Through the commemoration of this month, we hope to ensure that America is reminded that its greatness lies in its diversity, with Caribbean immigrants from founding father Alexander Hamilton to journalist Malcolm Gladwell, who have shaped the American dream.
In June 2000, National Caribbean American Heritage Month, and organized events in June under that banner. In 2001, Institute of Caribbean Studies was joined by Trans Africa Forum and the Caribbean Staff Association of the World Bank to organize events during June, promoting recognition of June as National Caribbean American Heritage Month, and the momentum slowly began to build. In 2004, the efforts gathered steam, when an Official Campaign for June as National Caribbean American Heritage Month was launched upon the tabling of a Bill in the US Congress by Congresswoman Barbara Lee, with language provided by ICS Founder and President, Dr. Claire Nelson. ICS worked with the Office of Congresswoman Barbara Lee to galvanize support for the Bill from organizations across the country and organized events on Capitol Hill in recognition of June in 2004. The Bill was reintroduced and passed the House in June 2005, and the Senate in February 2006. A Proclamation making the Resolution official was signed by President George Bush on June 5, 2006.
Mayor and Council History
Mayor and Council present this proclamation annually.