history worth celebrating

An overview of the history of Juneteenth and the events that paved the way for generations to come

  • Royalty in our origins

    “The peoples of West Africa had a rich and varied history and culture long before European slavers arrived.”

    Via National Museums of Liverpool

  • Trans-atlantic Slave trade

    “By the 1600s, every major European power had established trading relationships with Sub-Saharan Africa and was participating in the transportation of kidnapped Africans to the Americas in some way.”

    Via Equal Justice Initiative (EJI)

  • Emancipation Proclamation

    “The Executive Order issued by President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War provided freedom to enslaved Black people in the rebelling states.”

    Via National Museum of African American History & Culture

  • Recognized as a national holiday

    “One of my proudest moments as President was signing into law Juneteenth as a new Federal holiday — the first Federal holiday to be established since Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day four decades prior.”

    44th U.S. President, Joseph Biden

  • Juneteenth WA is Born!

    “We are excited to announce that we were awarded a contract with Tacoma Creates a program created by the City of Tacoma to host Juneteenth – A Road to Economic Freedom 2023 on the Eastside of Tacoma.”

Additional Resources:

  • The Historical Legacy of Juneteenth

    “On June 19, 1865, nearly two years after President Abraham Lincoln emancipated enslaved Africans in America, Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas with news of freedom.”

    Via National Museum of African American History & Culture

  • The Civil War and Emancipation Proclamation

    On September 22, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, which declared that as of January 1, 1863, all enslaved people in the states currently engaged in rebellion against the Union “shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.”

    Via History.com

  • A Proclamation on Juneteenth Day of Observance, 2024

    “One of my proudest moments as President was signing into law Juneteenth as a new Federal holiday — the first Federal holiday to be established since Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day four decades prior.  Juneteenth is an acknowledgment of the truth of our Nation’s history.”

    - 46th President of the United States, Joseph Biden

stay tuned for updates!