Did you know that until 1968, racial restrictive covenants prevented certain racial minorities from purchasing homes in specific King County neighborhoods? These policies segregated communities and shaped our racial demography. On Feb. 24, 1986 the county council passed a motion renaming King County to commemorate the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In 2007, the council approved changing its logo to an original graphic image of the civil rights leader and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. This symbolic achievement acknowledged the county’s historical connection to the civil rights movement and the importance of our African American community in shaping the landscape, economy, culture and values of our region.
As early as 1891, African American minors arrived from other parts of Washington to work in the coalfields in Newcastle, Coal Creek, Ravensdale and Franklin. By the turn of the century there were more than a thousand black miners in the area. Future generations became school board members, police, jurists and church leaders.
We’re proud to claim renowned African Americans inn our country’s culture including musician Quincy Jones, rock icon Jimi Hendrix, artists Jacob Lawrence and James W. Washington, Jr., contemporary collage artist Carletta Carrington Wilson and U.S. District Court Judge Richard Jones (Quincy’s brother). Former King County Executive Ron Sims is now the deputy director of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in the Obama administration.
King County has the reputation of being an inclusive and diverse place. We have one of the fastest growing immigrant populations in the nation, welcoming people from around the world, including East Africa, southeast Asia, eastern Europe and the Middle East.
We hope that people of all cultures utilize the King County Library System as a resource to learn about the history and experience of diverse members of our community. Patrons have free access to the African American Experience database and materials from our African American Achievement Collection. This unique collection includes a variety of materials that will be of use to teens and students, as well as anyone who is interested in learning more about the achievements of African Americans.
Learn more about the African American experience through your neighborhood library. The King County Library System offers more than 2,900 items on African Americans, from historic context to contemporary issues facing today’s teens. Simply enter keywords “African American” in the catalog search. For links to special databases and a book list for teens, visit the KCLS African American Achievement Collection.
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