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Over 40 city staff and community members gathered for a Juneteenth flag-raising ceremony at Lynnwood City Hall Tuesday in observance of the holiday honoring the end of slavery in the United States.
African people in Galveston Bay, Texas were still enslaved almost two years after President Abraham signed the Emancipation Proclamation — unaware of their freedom under federal law. On June 19, 1865, Union troops arrived to Texas and informed them of their freedom. This celebration became known as Juneteenth, or freedom day. Although Juneteenth has been celebrated across the nation for generations, former President Joe Biden declared it a national holiday in 2021.
Representatives and mentees from Project Girl Mentoring program hung the official Juneteenth flag outside city hall Tuesday.
Project Girl is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting young women, specifically young women of color, in and around Lynnwood. The group’s mission is to “foster the advancement of young women of color to make positive life choices and to maximize their authentic potential,” according to Project Girl’s website.
Mayor Christine Frizzell said Tuesday’s ceremony was the best-attended flag raising at City Hall she’d seen in her time serving the city.
Tuesday’s ceremony is just one of many Juneteenth celebrations happening in the area. One such event is Lynnwood Juneteenth, scheduled for Thursday, June 19 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Cedar Valley Community School: 19200 56th Ave. W., Lynnwood.
Find more information about the event here.
— Contact Ashley Nash at ashley@myedmondsnews.com.
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