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Juneteenth, also known as Black Independence Day, is a holiday celebrated annually on June 19th since 1865 to commemorate the end of slavery and recognize Black and African American peoples’ historical and ongoing struggles for freedom, justice, and healing. This national holiday serves as a call-to-action to uplift and center Black joy, resilience, and community-led solutions to contemporary issues of racism, inequity, and injustice.
Want to celebrate Juneteenth in community? Find local events happening in King County:
The ‘Emerald’ Guide to Juneteenth Events, 2023
Juneteenth Events for Seattle-Area Families in 2023
Celebrating Local Black-Led Organizations
Here in King County, there are dozens of Black- and African American-led organizations and groups working to improve the health of our communities and advance equity, rooted in generations of lived experience and leadership. HealthierHere is proud to partner with many of these organizations in our collective efforts to eliminate health disparities and build equitable, culturally responsive, anti-racist systems of whole-person care.
This Juneteenth and throughout the year, take time to learn about and support these organizations and their work, including some of our partners listed below!
A family-led organization founded and operated by African American women and other minority groups that provides equitable, culturally responsive, holistic and person-centered homelessness prevention to at-risk youth ages 12-26.
A group of African Immigrant and Refugee Leaders driven by the importance of the health and well-being of Africans in the state. They work together to address health inequity and strive to cultivate a healthier community.
A nonprofit reentry resource program that serves formerly incarcerated individuals coming out of correctional facilities, particularly Black/African American individuals.
Association of Zambians in Seattle, Washington (AZISWA)
A nonprofit organization aimed at supporting communities at the grassroots level in the fight against everyday challenges such as hunger, shelter, health, education and poverty through coordinating activities within the local Zambian Community.
A nonprofit organization that values diversity and serves disadvantaged BIPOC communities with the intention of giving them the opportunity for empowerment and educational achievement.
Center for MultiCultural Health
A nonprofit promoting the health and well-being of diverse communities through innovative health advocacy, health promotion, disease prevention, and immigrant and refugee service programs.
Congolese Integration Network
A non-profit organization in South Seattle led by and for Congolese immigrants and refugees. By bringing community together and advocating for their health and well-being, they facilitate the social, economic, cultural, and spiritual integration of Congolese immigrants and refugees into their homes in Washington state.
Country Doctor Community Health Centers
A group of clinics with roots in the Seattle Black Panther Party working to improve the health of local communities by providing high quality, caring, culturally appropriate primary health care that addresses the needs of people, regardless of their ability to pay.
East African Community Services
A Black Immigrant-led 501c3 nonprofit community organization operating Community Centers in Seattle’s New Holly area and SeaTac, Washington. Their mission is to help East African refugee and immigrant families achieve cradle-to-career success.
Falis Community Services is a program with a mission to improve employment opportunities for Non-English-speaking families, provide workable immigration assistant, offer training for youth development and ultimately community leadership, and to assist immigrant women to achieve self-resilience and personal skills.
Metropolitan Seattle Sickle Cell Task Force
A grassroots community-based organization committed to helping people with Sickle Cell Disease and their families in the local community through education, outreach and support.
A nonprofit organization founded by a like-minded group of Ethiopians living in Washington State to develop and take on new, ambitious, projects to serve Ethiopian and other East African community members in Washington State.
A public, non-profit grassroots organization, formed in 2012 by Somali health professionals and volunteers concerned about the health disparities that disproportionately affect new immigrants and refugees within King County, with ambitious goals of eliminating and reducing health disparities.
A non-profit community-based organization providing culturally and linguistically responsive services that reduce the Social Determinants of Health disparities for adults, children, and families in local communities.
A community-based organization that promotes holistic youth development for youth from low-income communities in South King County by mitigating the psycho-social impacts of immigration.
The Story Behind Juneteenth
On June 19, 1865, the Union Army arrived in Galveston, Texas, announcing they would enforce the Emancipation Proclamation, effectively freeing around 250,000 African Americans from slavery – two and half years after the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863.
Slavery did not formally end in all the states until the ratification of the 13th Amendment in December 1863; however, Juneteenth marked an important turning point in history.
Black and African American communities have celebrated Juneteenth since its inception. The holiday traveled and evolved with Black families and individuals during The Great Migration, and over time it became a widespread celebration of freedom and resilience.
Juneteenth has gained increased attention in recent years, with President Biden declaring it federal holiday in 2021 and Washington State also making it an official state holiday in 2022. The holiday and its importance also gained renewed attention following the murder of George Floyd in 2020 and the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Along with celebrating Black joy and resilience, Juneteenth is a time to confront our nation’s history and the structural racism that continues to disproportionately negatively affect health outcomes for Black communities.
As stated by Angela Tate, “Juneteenth is a time to reflect. What does it mean to really celebrate our freedom? What does it mean to be free in moments where freedom is conditional, and freedom is always a challenge? Juneteenth is a moment to think about freedom being conditional freedom and it is something that we must continuously strive and fight for. ”
To learn more about the history of Juneteenth and slavery, access the resources below:
WATCH: The 1619 Project | 13th | Juneteenth: What You Need to Know
READ: What is Juneteenth? NMAACH Experts Weigh In
VISIT: Northwest African American Museum | National Museum of African American History and Culture
Want to help amplify?
Follow the organizations above on social media, subscribe to their newsletters, and consider supporting their work.
You can also re-share HealthierHere's Juneteenth social media posts on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook and Instagram which feature these organizations.
Learn more about HealthierHere’s partners:
https://www.healthierhere.org/our-network
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This blog post was created in thought partnership with the Community & Consumer Voice Committee and Indigenous Nations Committee of HealthierHere’s Governing Board. We thank all involved for their insight and guidance.