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Coeur d'Alene proclaims Juneteenth; Human Rights Education Institute outlines local history and events
Summary
The council proclaimed June 19, 2025 as Juneteenth in Coeur d'Alene and the Human Rights Education Institute presented a historical overview and local activities tied to the observance.
On June 17 the Coeur d'Alene City Council issued a proclamation recognizing June 19, 2025 as Juneteenth and heard a presentation on the holiday's history and regional connections from the Human Rights Education Institute.
Dan English read the proclamation and Jeanette Laster, executive director of the Human Rights Education Institute, thanked the council and summarized Juneteenth's origins and its significance. "Juneteenth is a day to reflect on the historical and real current struggle for freedom and equality and to recognize the continued need for progress towards a more just society," Laster said.
Laster traced the national origins — the Emancipation Proclamation and the delayed enforcement of emancipation in parts of Texas — and linked the holiday to local history, including the service of Black soldiers known as Buffalo Soldiers who were deployed to locations in northern Idaho. She also cited data on hate crimes in Idaho and invited the community to HREI's regional leadership panel this week, a program the institute described as an opportunity for local officials, students and members of marginalized communities to discuss racial equity.
Council members and the mayor thanked Laster and the institute for the presentation. The council did not take any formal legislative action tied to the proclamation; proclamations are ceremonial and were presented on the council agenda.
