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White House officials announced Tuesday that President Barack Obama will not be using the word "genocide" to describe the mass killings of 1.5 million Armenians.
This week marks the genocide’s 100-year commemoration.
Obama has been under pressure to recognize the genocide by name, but once again, he, like other presidents before him, will pass on the opportunity.
More than 20 nations, and 43 U.S. states, including California, formally recognize the genocide, but the U.S. as a whole has not.
Local Armenians are reacting with disappointment.
"It is absolutely disappointing. I’m not surprised, but I’m saddened. Deeply saddened," said Berj Apkarian, Honorary Consul of Armenia in Fresno.
White House officials made the decision Tuesday during a meeting with Armenian American groups–a move White House officials say is necessary to preserve relations with Turkey.
"You wonder, what do we stand for? What does the White House stand for–what this country stands for? It is sad day for our nation and for this democracy and for us to witness," Apkarian said.
Apkarian is also the chair of the committee that brought the Armenian Genocide monument to Fresno State. Tuesday evening, the finishing touches were being made.
He said acknowledgment is an important step in healing and in preventing history from repeating itself "so that generations to come will not tolerate man’s inhumanity to man."
About 50,000 Armenians call the Central Valley home, including Fresno County Supervisor Debbie Poochigian.
"Virtually almost every Armenian American in Fresno was affected by the genocide in one way or another. They had some relative, there’s some horrible story for each one of us," Poochigian said.
Those we spoke with said they simply want Washington to call it what it is, and they’ll keep pushing for acknowledgement.
We are going to continue with our demonstrations, we’re going to continue with our commemorative programs, and we’re going to continue to honor the lives and make sure that genocide, that word genocide, is used," said Marine Vardanyan, president of the Armenian Students Organization at Fresno State.
The Turkish government denies the genocide, saying the deaths were a consequence of World War I.
Last month, Congressman David Valadao introduced a resolution to formally recognize the Armenian Genocide.
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