League of Women Voters of Asheville-Buncombe County

06/20/2026

06/20/2026

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when word of emancipation finally reached enslaved people in Galveston, Texas.

But as LWVUS CEO Celina Stewart reminds us, this legacy isn't locked away in history. It lives on in our laws, our communities, and our daily fight for equality. To truly honor Freedom Day, we have to protect the democratic rights that generations fought so hard to secure.

Celebrating freedom means using it. Here is how we turn memory into movement today:

🗳️ Defend the Ballot: Ensure your voice is heard. Check your voter registration at registertovote.ca.gov.

🏛️ Show Up Locally: True equity is built from the ground up. Attend a city council or school board meeting in your area.

📚 Protect the Truth: Fight selective memory by learning, preserving, and sharing our full, unvarnished history.

🤝 Organize Together: Join forces with your local League chapter to protect access to the ballot box.

🔗 Read Celina's full piece: https://buff.ly/I9JKrnx

06/20/2026

Juneteenth is a time for celebration in Asheville as the community gathers to reflect on the end of American slavery and the work for equality that continues today.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Association of Asheville/Buncombe County and the City of Asheville host a weeklong Juneteenth celebration. This celebration, featuring educational and festive events, is a testament to our shared commitment to honor and remember the past while striving for a more inclusive future.

Learn More: Asheville's Black Cultural Heritage Trail
Asheville's Black Cultural Heritage Trail officially opened to the public in December 2023, allowing travelers and locals to connect with the city's rich Black history. From well-known figures like Nina Simone, who attended boarding school in Asheville (her nearby childhood home will soon be open to the public), to community landmarks like the YMI Cultural Center, one of the oldest Black community centers in America, to everyday citizens like William R. “Seabron” Saxon, who refused to give up his bus seat four years before Rosa Parks, the Asheville Black Cultural Heritage Trail unearths intimate and fascinating stories of dignity, struggle and resilience.
The trail comprises 14 stops and 20 panels across three historically significant Black neighborhoods.

https://bcht.exploreasheville.com

06/19/2026

What does it mean to be nonpartisan AND political? 🤔
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan organization whose purpose is to promote the informed and active participation of citizens in government. Our mission is to empower voters and defend democracy.

06/19/2026

06/19/2026

The League of Women Voters has a long history of supporting Election of the President by Popular Vote. In 2019 the League created the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact Task Force. The Task Force developed presentations and other educational materials for use by the state leagues

06/19/2026

Today, we recognize Juneteenth, a day that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.

On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, and informed enslaved people that they were free… more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued. The news marked a pivotal moment in American history and gave rise to a celebration that spread across the country as Black families carried the tradition to new communities.

Juneteenth is a time to reflect on our nation's history, honor the resilience and contributions of Black Americans and reaffirm the ongoing work of building a more inclusive democracy for all.

06/19/2026

Juneteenth is a time for celebration in Asheville as the community gathers to reflect on the end of American slavery and the work for equality that continues today.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Association of Asheville/Buncombe County and the City of Asheville host a weeklong Juneteenth celebration. This celebration, featuring educational and festive events, is a testament to our shared commitment to honor and remember the past while striving for a more inclusive future.

The Block Collaborative
Friday, June 19 | 12:00PM – 8:00PM Eagle and Market Streets, Downtown Asheville
A full-day celebration on the historic Block in the heart of downtown Asheville.

06/18/2026

Juneteenth is a time for celebration in Asheville as the community gathers to reflect on the end of American slavery and the work for equality that continues today.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Association of Asheville/Buncombe County and the City of Asheville host a weeklong Juneteenth celebration. This celebration, featuring educational and festive events, is a testament to our shared commitment to honor and remember the past while striving for a more inclusive future.

LEGENDARY: Celebrating The Legacy of John R. Hayes.
Thursday, June 18 | 6:00PM – 9:00PM Eulogy, 10 Buxton Ave., Asheville
After John R. Hayes passed in 2021, the City of Asheville proclaimed June 18 as John R. Hayes Day to honor his decades of racial justice leadership. This event features a live performance by the John R. Hayes Highsteppin' Majorettes and Drum Corps at 6PM, followed by remarks from community leaders and screenings from an in-progress documentary about Elder Hayes and his legacy. Free food provided by Bear's Smokehouse BBQ; cash bar and event space provided by Burial Beer.
General admission (standing room only): $15 suggested donation. Limited reserved seating: $50. Proceeds benefit the Umoja Health Wellness & Justice Collective.