Florida Senate - 2015                            (NP)    SR 1620
       
       
        
       By Senator Bean
       
       
       
       
       
       4-02819-15                                            20151620__
    1                          Senate Resolution                        
    2         A resolution celebrating the 450th anniversary of the
    3         founding of St. Augustine and recognizing September 8,
    4         2015, as “Founder’s Day” in Florida.
    5  
    6         WHEREAS, on September 8, 1565, Pedro Menendez de Avilés
    7  founded San Agustin in the Spanish territory, La Florida, and
    8         WHEREAS, after its founding, St. Augustine was occupied
    9  over the years by Spanish, British, and American colonists, and
   10         WHEREAS, St. Augustine is recognized as the oldest
   11  continuously occupied European settlement in North America and
   12  was the site of the first free African-American settlement in
   13  the Americas, known as Fort Mose, and
   14         WHEREAS, the first Christian Mass in the new world was
   15  offered in St. Augustine by Father Francisco López de Mendoza
   16  Grajales, who founded the parish of Saint Augustine and helped
   17  establish Christianity in North America, and
   18         WHEREAS, St. Augustine was also home to the first hospital
   19  and the first tavern in North America, and
   20         WHEREAS, 2015 marks the 450th anniversary of the founding
   21  of St. Augustine and the multicultural founding of America, NOW,
   22  THEREFORE,
   23  
   24  Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida:
   25  
   26         That the 450th anniversary of the founding of St. Augustine
   27  is celebrated, and September 8, 2015, is recognized as
   28  “Founder’s Day” in Florida.