Juneteenth: Northwest African American Museum

Northwest African American Museum (NAAM) in Seattle exhibits the history, art, and culture of people of African descent and the Black experience in America. The exhibits and events include roots in slavery and the connections between the Pacific Northwest and people of African descent, as well as more recent immigrants from Somalia, Sudan, Ethiopia, and other countries. NAAM is housed in the 1909 Colman School building in the heart of Seattle’s historic Central District overlooking Jimi Hendrix park. For Juneteenth, NAAM celebrates with ta variety of thoughtful events.

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What is Juneteenth?

On September 22, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared that as of the following January 1, 1863, all enslaved people in the Confederate states in the states shall be forever free. The emancipation would redefine the Civil War, turning it from a struggle to preserve the Union to one focused on ending slavery, and set a decisive course for how the nation would be reshaped after that historic conflict.

Two-and-a-half years later, on June 19, 1865, United States troops arrived in Galveston, Texas to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people would be freed. Juneteenth (short for “June Nineteenth”) marks this date and honors the end to slavery in the United States. Juneteenth has been observed since 1866. Six months later, the Thirteenth Amendment officially made slavery illegal throughout the entire United States.

In 2021, the U.S. Congress passed legislation to establish June 19 as a federal holiday, Juneteenth National Independence Day.

Juneteenth banner – Depositphotos.com

NAAM Juneteenth 2022

The Northwest African American Museum will present Juneteenth Week, a curated week of programs that commences on Sunday, June 12 and concludes on Juneteenth (June 19). Juneteenth Week is sponsored by Amazon, Boeing, and Starbucks with community partners such as the OL Reign, Sounders FC, Rave Foundation, and One Seattle, with national partners such as the Blk Freedom Collective that convenes 11 Black Museums for a national Juneteenth presentation that will broadcast live on June 19.

Sunday, June 12, Interactive Storytime & Art Session
Wednesday, June 15, Youth Night at NewHolly Field
Saturday, June 18, ACE Performance at Sounders FC Match at Lumen Field
Saturday, June 18, ACE Performance at OL Reign Match at Lumen Field
Sunday, June 19, Juneteenth Celebration: Skate Party & Community Day at Judkins Park
Sunday, June 19, JUNETEENTH “The Songs of Black Folk” Music of Resistance and Hope & KIP Book Giveaway at McCaw Hall. Tickets: “The Songs of Black Folk: The Music of Resistance & Hope” (ticketleap.com)

More info: NAAM | Juneteenth Events (naamnw.org) and NAAM | Juneteenth Week 2022 Review (naamnw.org)