Last year, after decades of advocacy across the country, Juneteenth became a federal holiday; this year, King County and 4Culture are following suit. We’ve spent the last few months thinking about how to acknowledge this holiday in a way that is an expression of our mission, vision, and values. We also plan to do the same for Indigenous Peoples’ Day, which we will officially recognize for the first time as well.

We see this as an opportunity to educate and celebrate. Juneteenth is not as well understood as other holidays, so we are teaching ourselves about it and reposting a few resources we found especially helpful:

• Read this essay on Juneteenth by Dr. Quintard Taylor, the founder of BlackPast.org.
• Watch this 2-minute mini-documentary also produced by BlackPast.
• As with all history...it’s complicated! We learned a lot from this article, which explores the complexities of Juneteenth.
• Here is an article on the history of how African Americans and Indigenous peoples have worked together.

Juneteenth Acquisitions

We honor the beauty, power, and uniqueness naturally exuded by Black women with an acquisition of three gelatin silver prints by Mia McNeal. Part of her series, Undefinable, the portraits will become part of the King County Public Art Collection. McNeal’s photography and videography explores the intersections of history and identity. With an emphasis on personal narrative, she hopes to empower marginalized communities and inspire discussion and healing. Born and raised in Washington, she now lives in south King County where she maintains her studio and commercial practice.

We've also commissioned work by Damon Brown, which will be printed and displayed in 4Culture’s storefront, as well as shared digitally across our social media channels.

Events Around the County
Another great way to learn about and celebrate Juneteenth is to attend one of the many events happening around the county. Check out the South Seattle Emerald's roundup as well!

Freedom Week at Wa Na Wari: Photobooth, Book Release, Afrikan Marketplace, and More
June 16–19 at Wa Na Wari

The Songs of Black Folk: the Music of Resistance and Hope
June 19, 6:00 pm at McCaw Hall

Africatown and the Central District Chamber of Commerce Juneteenth Celebration
June 18 and 19 at Jimmy Hendrix Park

AMSA It takes a Village Juneteenth Celebration
June 17–19, 11:00 am–6:00 pm at Othello Park

Festival Sundiata presents Black Arts Fest
June 17–19 at Seattle Center

Waterfront Juneteenth Celebration with LANGSTON
June 18, 2:00–6:00 pm at Pier 62

Black Love: a Form of Resistance
June 18, 1:00–3:00 pm at MOHAI

NAAM Juneteenth Week: Celebrating Black Freedom
June 12–19 at the Northwest African American Museum

Rainier Beach Community Center Juneteenth
June 19, 11:00 am–3:00 pm

KBAC Linda Sweezer 11th Annual Memorial Juneteenth Live and Virtual Celebration
June 18, 10:00 am–3:00 pm at Morrill Meadows Park
Virtual presentation at 5:00 pm

2nd Annual Juneteenth Celebration in Federal Way
June 18, 12:00–4:00 pm at Town Square Park

City of Auburn Presents Juneteenth Family Reunion
June 18, 12:00–5:00 pm at Les Gove Park

The Lituation
June 18, 10:00 pm–Sunday, June 19, 2:00 am at 19309 68th Avenue S, R103, Kent

Tukwila Juneteenth Commemoration
June 18, 2:00–4:00 pm at the Sullivan Community Center

2022 Inaugural Juneteenth Royal Ball
June 19, 7:00–11:00 pm at the Renton Pavilion Center

EastHUB Virtual Event: Structural Racism in the Arts: A Lens on Racist Policies in the Arts Community
Jun 15, 2022, 05:30 pm