Background for the Establishment of Race Amity Day

The National Center for Race Amity and its allies are calling on the U.S. Congress for a joint resolution to establish the second Sunday in June of each year as a time for Americans to reflect and affirm the dignity of the diverse racial, cultural, and religious backgrounds of the human mosaic that constitutes the United States of America.

In 2015 the Massachusetts Legislature established that annually the Second Sunday in June be Race Amity Day in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 

The Act (H 27, Chapter 163 of Acts of 2105) states:

“The governor shall annually issue a proclamation setting apart the second Sunday in June as Massachusetts Race Amity Day to recognize that the people of the commonwealth are its greatest asset, to recognize that the commonwealth is comprised of multicultural, multiethnic multiracial citizens, and to encourage friendship, collegiality, civility, respect and kindness as the commonly shared ideals of the collective citizenry of the commonwealth by joining with communities across the United States to reflect on the beauty and richness of the diverse peoples of this great nation, while reaching out with a spirit of amity toward one another annually and recommending that the day be observed in an appropriate manner by the people.”

2016 US Senate Resolution for Race Amity Day

In 2016 the United States Senate passed a Resolution establishing June 12, 2016 as National Race Amity and Reconciliation Day . The initial Co-Sponsoring senators for the Resolution to Designate June 12, 2016 as National Race Amity and Reconciliation Day were Edward Markey, Democrat, Massachusetts and Thad Cochran, Republican, Mississippi. 

The Resolution states:

SENATE RESOLUTION 491 PASSED ON JUNE 10, 2016

Designating June 12, 2016, as a national day of racial amity and reconciliation.

Whereas the greatest asset of the United States is the people of the United States;

Whereas the motto on the Great Seal of the United States is E Pluribus Unum, ‘‘out of many, one’’;

Whereas the United States is comprised of multicultural, multiethnic, and multiracial people;

Whereas friendship, collegiality, civility, respect, and kindness are commonly shared ideals of the people of the United States; and

Whereas organizations and communities across the United States, motivated by the ideals behind the motto of E Pluribus Unum, have joined together in introspection and reflection on how the diversity of the people of the United States has been indispensable in creating the United States: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate—

(1) designates June 12, 2016, as a national day of racial amity and reconciliation;

(2) supports all people of the United States who

join in activities in support of the goals and ideals of racial amity; and

(3) encourages the people of the United States to observe the day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

The long term goal of the National Center for Race Amity seeks to have the June 12, 2016 Senate Resolution adopted by both the House and the Senate as an annual Day of Observance in the United States, with the President issuing a Proclamation supporting the passage of the Race Amity Day Resolution. To support this initiative NCRA asks its allies and supporters to write to their Senators and Representatives and ask them to support the Race Amity Day Resolution when it comes to the floor of the Senate and House. Please copy the National Center for Race Amity ([email protected]) when you write and we will follow up and thank the member of congress for their anticipated support for the National Race Amity Day Resolution with a copy of our letter to you.