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Thurston County proclaims February 2025 Black History Month; local leaders speak on history, inclusion
Summary
The Thurston County Board of Commissioners adopted a proclamation declaring February 2025 Black History Month. Local leaders, including the president of the Thurston County NAACP and longtime educator Dr. Thelma Jackson, addressed the board about the continuing importance of Black history and civil-rights protections.
Thurston County commissioners adopted a proclamation on Feb. 18, 2025, recognizing February as Black History Month and urging residents to engage in events that honor contributions of Black Americans to the county and nation.
The resolution, read during the board's business meeting, recalled the 1619 arrival of kidnapped Africans to the American colonies and described the month as a time to "celebrate the achievements and contributions made by African Americans to our cultural, spiritual, political, and economic development." The proclamation was adopted by the board and dated February 2025.
The board heard remarks from several invited community leaders. Larry Jefferson, identified in the meeting as president of the Thurston County NAACP, urged residents and officials to continue confronting injustices and to include all community members in civic life. "What I see here is a group of heroes of folks who want to stand up against injustice," Jefferson said.
Dr. Thelma Jackson, a longtime educator and historian who served two decades on the North Thurston School Board and as president of the Evergreen State College Board of Trustees, placed the proclamation in historical context and warned against efforts she described as attempts to erase or rewrite the history of African Americans. "Black history is American history," Jackson said. She referenced early efforts to commemorate Black history and cited the importance of biographical teaching to sustain that history.
Merit Long, an author and community fundraiser, referenced personal stories and cultural figures to underline the personal and communal value of remembering Black history.
The proclamation text included historical references and called on residents to participate in events and discussions that honor Black contributions to the community. The board followed the presentations with a short recess and then proceeded with other agenda items.
The remarks from Jefferson, Jackson and Long were part of a larger observance in the meeting; commissioners and staff noted additional community programs and books available locally that highlight Thurston County's Black history.
The board did not take separate policy action beyond adopting the proclamation during the Feb. 18 meeting.
