Whereas Nearly 241 years ago today, our Nation's Founders declared, "these United Colonies are, and of Right, ought to be free and Independent States."; and

Whereas This Declaration marked an influential milestone in the history of human freedom and liberty; and

Whereas On this anniversary of the signing of our Declaration of Independence, we pay tribute to the courage and dedication of those patriots who established our great country. We celebrate the values of justice and equality that strengthen our country; and

Whereas At the core of our country's Declaration of Independence, "all men are created equal" and "they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights." In pursuit of these ideals, generations of Americans have unveiled new hopes of freedom that simply cannot be bound by the borders of our country; and

Whereas As citizens of our beloved Commonwealth, celebrating our country's cherished independence, we should not only take pride in our vibrant history, but also look to the future with hope, confidence, and grace; and

Whereas We offer immense gratitude to all the patriots of both our past and present who have sought to advance freedom, establish virtue, and build foundations of peace. Because of their sacrifice, this country remains a beacon of hope for all who dream of a life filled with liberty, justice, and happiness; and

Whereas As members of the "shining city on the hill," we exemplify all that is possible for a body of free people,

Now, Therefore, I, Charles D. Baker, Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, do hereby proclaim the July 4th, 2017 to be,

INDEPENDENCE DAY

And urge all the citizens of the Commonwealth to take cognizance of this event and participate fittingly in its observance.

Given at the Executive Chamber in Boston, this first day of July, in the year two thousand and seventeen, and of the Independence of the United States of America, the two hundred and forty-first.

By His Excellency Charles D. Baker, Governor of the Commonwealth
Karyn E. Polito, Lt. Governor of the Commonwealth
William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth

God Save the Commonwealth of Massachusetts