Tuesday marks the 175th anniversary of California being admitted as a state.
Sept. 9, 1850, is the day that then-President Millard Fillmore signed the Compromise of 1850, which made California the 31st state. It was signed two years after the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed between the U.S. and Mexico, which ceded most of the Southwest and all of present-day California to the states.
Days after the treaty was signed, James Marshall found gold in Northern California, leading to the Gold Rush and a rapid influx of settlers.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a proclamation declaring Tuesday “California’s 175th Anniversary” and commended the Golden State for being “a leader in realizing the American Dream” throughout the history of the United States.
“Today, California remains a beacon of endless possibilities, defined by its enduring promise of reinvention, discovery and freedom,” Newsom’s proclamation states. “Where we are now, the state that we have become, was not by chance. We are the result of a uniquely diverse, iterative 175-year social experiment that continues to grow and evolve.”
Newsom also acknowledged that California’s history is “not spotless.”
“We bear the responsibility for state-endorsed and state-allowed travesties, including the horrors that Native peoples of this land were subjected to in the early days of our statehood,” he said. “But rather than turn away from the darkness in our past, California learns from it.”
The governor referenced programs the state has created with tribal governments across the state, including “collaborative development of environmental stewardship strategies based on longstanding tribal expertise that was protected and retained despite historical efforts to undermine it.”
Newsom ended his declaration with a positive outlook for the state’s future.
“Our many achievements and accomplishments and our global status are due to our ability to integrate different cultures and voices [as well as] unique ideas and perspectives – weaving all that we are into a beautiful tapestry that shows the world what could be,” he said. “As we continue to define the future of California, this moment serves as a testament to the spirit of Californians, driven by grit, determination and a relentless belief in what’s possible.”
Sept. 9 used to be a state holiday known as “Admission Day,” and it used to be quite a large celebration complete with parades and festive decorations; however, the holiday was scrapped in 1984 by then-Governor George Deukmejian.