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King County Council proclaims February 2026 Black History Month and honors BlackPast.org
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Summary
The King County Council on Feb. 17, 2026 adopted a proclamation recognizing February as Black History Month, honored the work of BlackPast.org and remembered the late civil‑rights leader Jesse Jackson; Councilmember Rhonda Lewis led the presentation and invited BlackPast representatives to accept the proclamation.
The King County Council on Feb. 17 proclaimed February 2026 as Black History Month, honoring scholars and local organizations that preserve and teach Black history.
Councilmember Rhonda Lewis presented the proclamation, citing historian Carter G. Woodson’s establishment of the original Black History Week in 1926 and the later national observance. Lewis also noted the recent deaths of civil‑rights figures including the Reverend Jesse Jackson and historian Dr. Quintard Taylor.
Lewis praised blackpast.org as a longstanding, publicly available resource that preserves speeches, court decisions and primary documents. A BlackPast representative thanked the council and described the site’s mission to make history accessible, noting the site’s founding ties to the University of Washington and local historians.
The proclamation text, read into the record by Lewis, reiterated that "there is no United States history without Black history" and asked residents to commemorate the contributions of Black and African American people not only in February but year‑round. The proclamation was dated February 2026 and signed by the council.
Councilmembers briefly paused the ceremony when staff asked an audience member to move a sign that occluded the view; the event continued and guests were invited to the podium to accept the proclamation.
The council adjourned the meeting later in memory of the Reverend Jesse Jackson.
