The Diocese of Olympia Celebrate Juneteenth

Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom. It commemorates the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Galveston, TX, learned of the Emancipation Proclamation, which formally ended their enslavement.

This year, on June 21, the Black/African American Circle hosted a Juneteenth celebration at St Mark’s Cathedral. African drumming and dancing by VCBynum Arts & Education and by the Awal Alhassan & Sohoyini West African Dance Company brought an international flair to the celebration. Drawing from his Kenyan heritage, The Rev. Paul Karume, vicar of Goshen All Saints Church in Tacoma, preached on the theme “Don’t be afraid. God has got your back.”