Proclaim German-American Day

October 6, 2017, as German-American Day in the State of New York, in conjunction with the observance of National German-American Day WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize official days that are set aside to increase awareness of issues that affect the lives of citizens of New York State; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, it is the sense of this Legislative Body to memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim October 6, 2017, as German-American Day in the State of New York, in conjunction with the observance of National German American-Day; and WHEREAS, The German American ethnic group consists of Americans who have full or partial German ancestry; German Americans make up 50 million people of the United States population; German Americans were attracted to this country by religious freedom and abundance opportunity; and WHEREAS, German-American Day is celebrated annually and commemorates the date in 1683 when 13 German families from Krefeld near the Rhine landed in Philadelphia; these families founded Germantown, Pennsylvania, the first German settlement in the original 13 American colonies; and WHEREAS, Celebrations originated in the 19th Century, German-American Day died out during World War I as a result of the anti-German sentiment; in 1983, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed October 6th as German-American Day to celebrate and honor the 300th Anniversary of German American immigration and contribution to the culture of the United States; and WHEREAS, Germantown Quakers were the first to petition against slavery in the English colonies; this petition was drafted by Francis Daniel Pastorius and signed by him and three other German Quakers living in Germantown, Pennsylvania, on behalf of the Religious Society of Friends; and WHEREAS, Pioneers who settled our great country often spoke a German dialect; they settled towns like Milwaukee, Cincinnati and St. Louis; beer, a famous German beverage, was perfected in these cities and produced for mass consumption; and WHEREAS, New York has benefited from German Americans and their culture; the port of entry to our great country started in the State of New York for many ethnic groups; Germans Americans settled on the Lower East Side and Yorkville in the Borough of Manhattan; the lasting impact of German influence can be seen in buildings architecture in the neighborhood of Yorkville; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim October 6, 2017, as German-American Day in the State of New York, in conjunction with the observance of National German-American Day; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New York.