2023 Black History Month Proclamation

WHEREAS, After starting as an idea for ways to celebrate African American achievements 9 years earlier... In 1924, a celebration that eventually was renamed to “Negro Achievement Week” began and the outreach was significant, but the desire for a greater impact also persisted. “We are going back to that beautiful history and it is going to inspire us to greater achievements.” By February 1926, this statement of historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson along with that idea he and other prominent African American figures had would then become “Negro History Week.” Dr. Woodson chose February for reasons of continuing what was already familiar to many. Since 1865, Black communities had celebrated fallen President Abraham Lincoln’s birthday and then by the late 1890s former slave and prominent abolitionist activist, Frederick Douglass’ birthday, both occurring in February. This showed his true effort to extend the study of black history, not create a new tradition. Finally, in 1976, this celebration was expanded to include the entire month of February, and today Black History Month garners support throughout the country as people of all ethnic and social backgrounds discuss the African American experience; and

WHEREAS, The City of Kyle takes pride in its African-American heritage, This can also be seen in Kyle within its entire scale of history, from the enslaved people at its founding to the courageous Freedmen who settled in the area; and from the early traders representing business in Kyle to those who have served and represented this growing community in various capacities including publicly elected offices, like former city councilmembers Mattie Welch, Ray Bryant, Dex Ellison and former Mayor James Adkins; and

WHEREAS, The City of Kyle encourages the preservation of our African-American history and applauds the efforts of groups such as the Hays County Historical Commission, as well as local individuals, in helping restore, preserve, and maintain Kyle historic locations such as the African American cemetery "Kyle Family Pioneer Cemetery" which received a state historic marker; and 

WHEREAS, The City of Kyle joins in the unified endeavor of its community members around Hays County in paying homage to those that have helped carry on the resolute efforts in a continual reminder of the achievements and sacrifices by African American men and women who had contributed to the advancements of human civilization; and

WHEREAS, this year’s theme, “Resistance” Black Resistance in the past present and Future" as determined by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, African Americans have resisted historic and ongoing oppression, in various forms, for over two centuries. Historically and today in the 21st century, African Americans have worked the political angle to seek their rightful space in this country, and consistently push the United States to live up to its ideals of freedom, liberty, and justice for all.

THEREFORE, Be it proclaimed by the City of Kyle, that February 1 through March 1, 2023 should be celebrated as "Black History Month" in appreciation of the many achievements of Kyle's African American community and those across this nation and its history.

Black History Month

SIGNED AND ENTERED THIS 7th DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2023.

Travis Mitchell, Mayor

Bear Heiser, Council District 1 Yvonne Flores-Cale, Council District 2

Miguel Zuniga, Council District 3

Ashlee Bradshaw, Council District 4

Daniela Parsley, Council District 5

Michael Tobias, Mayor Pro Tem, Council District 6