Sacramento, CA…Governor Gavin Newsom issued a proclamation declaring July 4, 2021, as Independence Day in the State of California.

PROCLAMATION
Each year we celebrate the Fourth of July as the birth of America, commemorating the day our founders stood up to tyranny and formed a new nation founded on the principles of equality, freedom and opportunity. Since then, Americans have lost their lives fighting to safeguard for future generations the promise of our democracy – and all of its ideals.

From its first hours, however, America did not guarantee equality, freedom and opportunity to all. And the events of the last year highlight that the struggle continues to fulfill America’s promise for all of its people. The legacy of slavery and systemic racism is still felt by our communities of color and the COVID-19 pandemic magnified many of the health, economic and educational inequities that exist across society.

As America’s first Youth Poet Laureate and native Californian Amanda Gorman eloquently wrote, “we are not a nation that is broken, just unfinished.” On this day, let us renew our commitment to, in Amanda’s words, “compose a country committed to all cultures, colors, characters, and conditions of man.”

As we safely celebrate July Fourth with family and friends, let us all take a moment to remember everyone who made incredible sacrifices to keep the dream of this country alive – those in uniform, our civil rights leaders and advocates – and recognize the work that remains to realize the Declaration’s ideals of liberty and equality for all Americans.

NOW THEREFORE I, GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor of the State of California, do hereby proclaim July 4, 2021, as “Independence Day.”
IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 2nd day of July 2021.

GAVIN NEWSOM Governor of California
ATTEST:
SHIRLEY N. WEBER, Ph.D. Secretary of State