Seattle Black Heritage Project
We are documenting landmarks, stories and the heritage of Black Seattle and we need your help to get it right. For the next two years the Department of Neighborhoods Historic Preservation program and Communications team is focusing on Black stories and historic places in Seattle. The project will consolidate existing research into an interactive map and use that map to engage diverse communities to contribute their knowledge and sites to the map. We know there are gaps in how Black history has been preserved in Seattle. Over the years, the City of Seattle has designated over 450 landmarks and not even 2% of them directly reflect Black history—this project lets the community decide how to change that. That's why we're connecting with community experts and knowledge holders
to learn what is missing. This work will culminate in the Historic Preservation program undertaking a preservation project in 2027, shaped by community input and priorities.
If you or your organization have knowledge to share or want to be part of this work, email michael.delange@seattle.gov and we'll be in touch.
Sanctuaries in Motion: Sharing stories of Seattle Black Churches
Churches play a critical role in the story of Black Seattle. They serve as places of worship, community gathering spaces, organizing hubs, and cultural anchors through decades of change and displacement. Inrecognition of this significant history, the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods has launched Black Sanctuaries in Motion, a multimedia storytelling project to document the vibrant histories in video, prose, and drawn formats. Through research, interviews, and community partnerships, we're working with selected churches to share their stories about the people who built them, the movements they supported, and the roles they continue to play in Seattle and throughout the Puget Sound. To read these and other community stories click here.