The BulleTin • Sunday, June 20, 2021 A9
Juneteenth | A new holiday
Declaration of holiday sparks scramble in states
BY JULIE CARR SMYTH
The Associated Press
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Con-
gress and President Joe Biden
acted with unusual swiftness
last week in approving June-
teenth as a national holiday.
That shifted the battle to the
states, where the holiday faces
a far less enthusiastic response.
Nearly all states recognize
Juneteenth in some fashion, at
least on paper. But most have
been slow to move beyond
proclamations issued by gov-
ernors or resolutions passed by
lawmakers. So far, at least 10
states have designated it in law
as an official paid state holiday
— Illinois, Louisiana, Maine,
Massachusetts, New Jersey,
New York, Oregon, Texas,
Virginia and Washington. All
but Texas, where the events of
the original Juneteenth took
place, acted after the killing of
George Floyd last year.
This year alone, legislation
to make Juneteenth a paid
state holiday died in Florida
and South Dakota and stalled
in Ohio, all states controlled
by Republicans. But even in
Maryland, where Democrats
control the Legislature, a June-
teenth bill passed one chamber
only to die in the other.
The effort recalls the drawn-
out battles over recognizing
Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the
last time the federal govern-
ment designated a new holiday.
That legislation, finally passed
in 1983, scheduled the holiday
to begin three years later. It set
off bitter debates in the states
over whether to enact their
own holidays.
Only a handful of states
headed into Thursday’s signing
of the federal Juneteenth law
with the paid holiday on the
books to be celebrated in 2021.
The governors of Washington,
Illinois, Louisiana and Maine,
by contrast, all signed more re-
cent laws that were set to kick
in for 2022, when June 19 falls
on a Sunday.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel
Edwards closed state offices for
a half-day Friday, only a few
days after he signed Juneteenth
legislation, and Illinois Gov.
J.B. Pritzker was among gover-
nors who changed their states’
start dates to 2021.
In another twist, many states
have laws that automatically
recognize all federal holidays
— even those not named in
state statute.
Such was the case in Ohio,
where Republican Gov. Mike
DeWine issued a Juneteenth
statement late Thursday and
closed state offices in the man-
ner of a hastily called school
snow day. West Virginia Gov.
Jim Justice also declared June-
teenth a state holiday at a
last-minute virtual press con-
ference. The governors of Con-
necticut and Florida issued
their Juneteenth proclamations
Friday.
Ohio state Sen. Hearcel
Craig, a Columbus Democrat
who is Black, said codifying
Juneteenth in state law remains
essential. He is sponsoring a
bill that passed the Ohio Senate
unanimously last session, but
time ran out for consideration
in the House. Republicans con-
trol both of Ohio’s legislative
chambers.
Georgia law caps the num-
ber of state holidays at 12,
meaning Juneteenth could be
added only if another holiday
were dropped. In other states,
including Oregon, whether
Juneteenth becomes a paid
holiday will depend on union
negotiations.
In Mississippi, Democratic
state Rep. Bryant Clark has
filed bills to make Juneteenth a
state holiday for about 15 years.
All have stalled.
Clark said Friday that he
will keep trying. He noted that
Mississippi legislators took
four years to create a state hol-
iday honoring King after the
federal holiday was established.
In 1987, Mississippi legislators
revised a holiday named for
Confederate Gen. Robert E.
Lee that had been in place for
decades, creating a joint hol-
iday honoring both Lee and
King.
Two other Mississippi law-
makers said Friday that they
plan to file a bill to eliminate
Confederate Memorial Day as
a state holiday and replace it
Ebony Cox; Jake May/Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel via AP
Little Miss Juneteenth is seen during the Juneteenth Day Parade
and Celebration on Saturday in Milwaukee.
Flint, Michigan, native Claressa Shields, a world champion boxer
and mixed martial artist fighter, celebrates as she walks down Saginaw
Street, leading a Juneteenth parade Saturday in downtown Flint.
with Juneteenth.
“Sometimes progress is ex-
tremely slow,” said Clark, a
member of the Legislative
Black Caucus. Several com-
munities in Mississippi already
hold Juneteenth celebrations.
One is the capital city of Jack-
son, where the population is
more than 80% Black.
Minnesota has recognized
the third Saturday in June as
Juneteenth since 1996, but the
statute only obligates the gov-
ernor to issue a proclamation
each year honoring the obser-
vance. That’s a common sit-
uation in the U.S., where the
holiday is sometimes called
Emancipation Day.
Calls by Minnesota Gov.
Tim Walz, a Democrat, to
make it an official state holiday
have failed to gain traction so
far in the Legislature, the only
one in the nation where Dem-
ocrats control one chamber
and Republicans control the
other.
Hawaii had been one of only
three states left not to recog-
nize the holiday at all. A bill
marking Juneteenth was signed
there Wednesday and in a sec-
ond holdout state, North Da-
kota, in April. Neither created a
paid state holiday, however.
South Dakota still does not
officially recognize the holi-
day, but Gov. Kristi Noem has
issued a proclamation cele-
brating it. The governor does
not have the power to make it
an official state holiday — that
must be done through the Leg-
islature. A bill to recognize it as
a working holiday fell a hand-
ful of votes short of passing
this year.
It was defeated by an un-
usual coalition of Democrats
who felt the day should be
recognized as a full-fledged
holiday, rather than a working
holiday, and conservative law-
makers who opposed recog-
nizing the holiday at all.
Vaney Hariri, a Black busi-
ness owner who organized
a march after Floyd’s death,
said that vote showed the en-
trenched attitude of many law-
makers who “would turn down
a day off rather than celebrate
your freedom from pain and
captivity.”
In Tennessee, an attempt
to designate Juneteenth as a
state holiday stalled last year
after some Republican law-
makers raised questions about
the $647,000 price tag. Others
questioned why it was nec-
essary when the state already
recognizes Aug. 8 as Emanci-
pation Day.
Arizona dragged its feet for
years on Martin Luther King
Jr. Day, until it became the only
state that did not have some
sort of holiday inspired by the
slain civil rights leader.
That long delay cost Arizona
a Super Bowl and millions of
dollars in tourism revenue
from canceled conventions and
other events. It also inspired
a boycott by singer Stevie
Wonder and a protest song by
Public Enemy called “By the
Time I Get to Arizona.”
Gov. Bruce Babbitt, a Dem-
ocrat, issued an executive or-
der in 1986 declaring Martin
Luther King Jr. Day a state
holiday. Babbitt’s Republican
successor, Evan Mecham, re-
scinded the order a year later,
saying Babbitt exceeded his au-
thority.
Mecham’s action led to years
of divisive political maneuver-
ing, including a ballot measure
that ended in defeat for King
holiday supporters, before
Arizona voters ultimately ap-
proved the holiday in 1992.
Warren H. Stewart Sr., pas-
tor of the Institutional Baptist
Church in Phoenix, helped
lead a grassroots campaign to
establish Arizona’s King holi-
day. But he said he did not re-
joice when Biden signed the
Juneteenth law. He fears it will
distract from legislation on vi-
tal issues such as voting rights
and police reform.
“I see it as a distraction,”
Stewart said, “almost as a
handout of some candy, but
the meat of justice is still going
to be denied.”
James Douglas Arney
of Redmond, OR
Anna J Wingfield
of La Pine, OR
Dec 9, 1941 - June 14,
2021
Arrangements:
Autumn Funerals of Red-
mond is honored to serve
the family. 541-504-9485
Memories and condolenc-
es may be expressed to
the family on our website
at www.autumnfunerals.net
Services:
A Celebration of Life will
take place at the Juniper
Golf Course Club House,
1938 SW Elkhorn Ave.,
Redmond, OR., on Satur-
day, July 10, 2021 from 1
PM to 4 PM.
Contributions may be
made to:
Forest Biometrics Re-
search Institute, 4033 SW
Canyon Rd., Portland, OR
97221.
Nov 17, 1933 - June 8,
2021
Arrangements:
Baird Memorial Chapel
of La Pine is honored
to serve the Wingfield
family. Please visit our
website, www.bairdfh.com,
to share condolences and
sign the online guestbook.
Donald William
Jocelyn
of Redmond, OR
Bryon Jeffrey Crans-
ton of Sunriver, OR
Jan 8, 1938 - May 30, 2021
Arrangements:
Prineville Funeral Home
www.prinevillefuneral-
home.com
Services:
June 26, 2021 11am Ma-
dras Church of Christ 412
SW 1st Street, Madras
Beverly Jean Dick
of La Pine, OR
May 16, 1942 - June 13,
2021
Arrangements:
Baird Memorial Chap-
el of La Pine is hon-
ored to serve the Dick
family. Please visit our
website, www.bairdfh.com,
to share condolences and
sign the online guestbook.
March 5, 1989 - June 13,
2021
Arrangements:
Baird Memorial Chapel
of La Pine is honored
to serve the Cranston
family. Please visit our
website, www.bairdfh.com,
to share condolences and
sign the online guestbook.
OBITUARY
OBITUARY DEADLINE
James J. “Jim” Meyer
Call to ask about our deadlines.
Monday - Friday, 10am - 3pm.
No death notices or obituaries are published Mondays.
When submitting, please include your name, address
and contact number.
Phone: 541-385-5809
Fax: 541-598-3150
Email: obits@bendbulletin.com
September 14, 1947 - May 13, 2021
Jim Meyer was born in Dubuque, Iowa to Joseph
Meyer and Virginia McClain Meyer. He att ended school
in Dubuque and spoke fondly of his years at Wahlert
High School. Jim was a jeweler most of his adult life and
owned Shomeyer Jewelers in Bend prior to relocati ng
to Missouri for a few years. He returned to Bend to
enjoy his reti rement.
OBITUARY
Susanne Wesley Gordon
1935 - 2021
He is survived by his sisters Marla Herb of Lacey,
Washington and Susie Neal of Lakewood, Washington,
along with nieces and nephews. He leaves good friends
that he also considered to be part of his family.
Susanne (Sue) Wesley Gordon,
84, passed peacefully in her sleep
on May 16, 2021 at her home in
Portland, Oregon.
A celebrati on of Jim’s life will be planned at a future
date. Any donati ons in remembrance of Jim should be
made to the Humane Society of Central Oregon.
Sue was born in Hutchinson,
Kansas in 1937 to parents Heide
and Ralph Wesley. She att ended
the University of Kansas where
she met the love of her life and
future husband, Jack. Sue and
Jack resided in Denver, Colorado
for many years before reti ring to Hilton Head Island,
South Carolina. They eventually moved to Bend, Oregon
where they resided unti l Jack’s passing in 2017.
OBITUARY
Paula Biggs
Hammond
January 20, 1944 - May 07, 2021
Paula Biggs Hammond, 77, of Bend Oregon,
passed away peacefully on May 7, 2021. Paula
is survived by her brother Richard Biggs and
wife Twyla of Bend, her son Chris Hammond,
of Balti more, and daughter Lisa Fulkerson and
husband Gary of Bend. She is also survived by her
grandchildren Miles Fulkerson, Max Fulkerson,
Chance Fulkerson, Lily Hammond and Zoe Hammond. Paula was born in Oregon
City, Oregon to Eunice and Paul Biggs on January 20, 1944. She graduated from
Oregon City High School in 1962, received a BA in Educati on from the University
of Oregon in 1965, and received her law degree at Lewis and Clark Law School in
1985. A loving presence in so many lives, Paula always off ered a warm smile to
those around her. She worked as an att orney at Standard Insurance Company in
Portland. Later, she became a professor at Portland State University and various
paralegal colleges. She enjoyed inspiring her students and fi nding diff erent
ways to engage with them. Paula had a love for traveling, photography, spiritual
growth, and most especially, her friends and family.
Sue was a warm and caring wife, mother, mother-in-law,
sister, cousin and grandmother. Sue oft en spoke of the
many great adventures she had over the years, from
sailing and fi shing to tennis and golf trips. Sue had a
positi ve impact on everyone she met and will be greatly
missed by all of her friends and family.
Sue is preceded in death by her parents and her
husband of 58 years, Jack. She is survived by her
brother, Clark Wesley of Hutchinson, Kansas, her
children John Gordon of Portland, Oregon, and
Tom Gordon of Dallas, Texas, her grandchildren,
Jack and Scott and her dog, Jesse.
Plans are in progress for a Celebrati on of Life to
be held in Hutchinson, Kansas in late summer
or early fall. If you would like more
informati on, please contact jwgPDX@
gmail.com
In lieu of fl owers, the family has asked for
donati ons to be made to the Breast
Cancer Research Foundati on
www.bcrf.org.