Celebrating the end of slavery in the United States.
Origins and history of Juneteenth
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, the day Black people enslaved in Galveston Bay, Texas, finally learned of their freedom, two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. In 1980, Texas became the first state in the U.S. to declare Juneteenth a state holiday.
In 2021, President Biden signed a bill to establish Juneteenth as a federal holiday. Although official recognition of Juneteenth varies at the state level, as of 2023, at least 28 states and the District of Columbia legally recognize Juneteenth as a public holiday, according to the Pew Research Center. In 2021, the Washington state legislature officially recognized Juneteenth as a state holiday.
Celebration, reflection and change
Juneteenth is a day of celebration. It is also a day for reflection on the history of slavery in the U.S., the systemic inequities left in its legacy and our responsibility to create a more just and equitable future.
Learn:
- Juneteenth Foods: A Culinary Reflection, UW Medicine chef Vanessa Gray-Douglas
- What is Juneteenth?, History
- Juneteenth: The Growth of an African American Holiday, UW professor emeritus and historian Quintard Taylor
- Juneteenth Senses of Freedom: The Taste, Sound, and Experience of an African American Celebration, National Museum of African American History and Culture
- Watch Juneteenth: Freedom at Last, Minnesota Historical Society
- More on Black History (including support for Black community members)
Events:
- UW Medicine Juneteenth flag raising Friday, June 16 at noon, at all hospital campuses.
- Celebrate Juneteenth Week with the Northwest African American Museum.
- Get outside for a Juneteenth Discover Pass Free Day. On June 19, a Discover pass is not required to park on any land managed by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission (Parks), or the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).
