COMMENTARY: Juneteenth Proclamations Honor African American Courage, Resilience and American History

From the African American perspective, Juneteenth is not just a date on the calendar. It is a sacred reminder of a painful truth and a powerful promise. It reminds us that on June 19, 1865, enslaved Africans in Galveston, Texas, finally received the news that they were free—more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation […]
From Slavery to Freedom: Snohomish County honors Juneteenth and the continued fight for equality

“When I thought about Juneteenth, I think of the insidious evil of those who knew what had happened [Emancipation Proclamation that freed slaves] in Texas and stayed silent [keeping Blacks enslaved]… So that’s what freedom means to me: we cannot be silent,” opened Kent Patton, Snohomish County Deputy Executive, during the fifth Juneteenth proclamation and […]