Juneteenth is a federal holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. Although President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, enslaved African Americans in Texas were not granted freedom until June 19, 1865. The Smithsonian Institution considers Juneteenth to be America’s second Independence Day. Celebrations, including cookouts, parades and festivals, are held around the country to mark the day. Here are some titles to help us learn more about the importance of, and to celebrate the joy of Juneteenth. Be sure to also check out hoopla and Kanopy’s amazing Juneteenth digital collections.
Juneteenth by Ralph Ellison
Published: 1999
Formats Available: Print
Call Number: FICTION ELLISON
In Washington D.C., in the 1950s, Senator Sunraider is mortally wounded by an assassin’s bullet. From his deathbed, he calls out for Hickman, an old black minister. As the two men relive their memories of a shared history, they gradually reveal the secrets of their past.
On Juneteenth by Annette Gordon-Reed
Published: 2021
Formats Available: Print, eBook, eAudiobook
Call Number: 394.263 GOR
In this intricately woven tapestry of American history, dramatic family chronicle and searing episodes of memoir, the descendant of enslaved people brought to Texas in the 1850s, recounts the origins of Juneteenth and explores the legacies of the holiday that remain with us.
Juneteenth: The Story Behind the Celebration by Edward T. Cotham
Published: 2021
Formats Available: Print, eBook
Call Number: 394.263 COT
Juneteenth has been touted as a national day celebrating the end of slavery. Observances from coast to coast have turned this event into part of the national conversation about race, slavery and how Americans understand, acknowledge and explain what has been called the national ‘original sin.”
But, why Juneteenth? Where did this ‘celebration,’ which promises to become a national ‘holiday’ come from? What is the origin story? What are the facts, and legends, around this important day in the nation’s history?
Watermelon & Red Birds: A Cookbook for Juneteenth and Black Celebrations by Nicole A Taylor
Published: 2022
Formats Available: Print, eBook
Call Number: 641.59296073 TAY
All-day cook-outs with artful salads, bounteous dessert spreads, and raised glasses of “red drink” are essential to Juneteenth gatherings. In Watermelon and Red Birds, Nicole puts jubilation on the main stage. As a master storyteller and cook, she bridges the traditional African-American table and 21st-century flavors in stories and recipes. Nicole synthesizes all the places we’ve been, all the people we have come from, all the people we have become, and all the culinary ideas we have embraced.