The Third Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) was held in Seattle from November 30 to December 3, 1999. Trade ministers and other officials from the WTO's 135 member nations met in an unsuccessful attempt to plan negotiations to further deregulate free trade. Tens of thousands of activists for many causes gathered to protest what they saw as the WTO's favoring of corporate interests over social and environmental concerns.

This image shows six members of the US delegation to the conference. They are, from left, Representative Ellen Tauscher of California, Representative Jim McDermott of Washington, Senator Patty Murray of Washington, Representative Jay Inslee of Washington, Representative Adam Smith of Washington, and Representative Charles Stenholm of Texas. McDermott held Washington's 7th Congressional district seat, covering most of Seattle as well as Shoreline, Vashon Island, Burien, and SeaTac, from 1989 to 2017. Murray was elected Washington's U.S. Senator in 1993, and Inslee was elected Governor of Washington in 2013. As of early 2024, both are still serving in these positions.