Juneteenth celebrations are also a call to action

The story of slavery is told at the Northwest African American Museum. Enslaved people were freed in January 1863 — but the news, perhaps withheld, didn’t get to Galveston, Texas until June 19, 1865.

“Juneteenth is a historical event. Juneteenth is a cultural holiday and Juneteenth is a reminder for us all,” said museum CEO LaNesha DeBardelaben.

Beginning at 12 p.m. on Saturday, June 19, the museum is hosting a daylong Juneteeth Jamboree in Seattle’s Judkins Park. There will be food, music and vaccinations.

Juneteenth is taking wider prominence in the wake of George Floyd’s murder and last year’s massive demonstrations demanding justice in response.

“Juneteenth then moves from being a historical moment to becoming a communal and collective mission for us all; and this mission is to advance justice and equity until it becomes real for all in our community,” said DeBardelaben.

There will be numerous commemorations. King County Equity Now is organizing a Freedom March through the Central District, begining at 1 p.m. at 22nd Avenue and Madison Street, and ending with a celebration at Jimi Hendrix Park.

Another celebration, “It Takes A Village”, will begin at 11 a.m. at Seattle’s Othello Park.

On the Eastside, a Juneteenth celebration will start at 12 p.m. at Redmond Downtown Park.

Seattle civil rights leader Eddie Rye is happy Juneteenth is now a national holiday, but says much work remains to be done.

“So the Juneteenth celebration of the Juneteenth holiday is the beginning, hopefully to African Americans gaining parity in this country,” said Rye.

“We’ve been here 400 years. We’ve died in every war. And yet we still come up with the short end of the stick.”

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