Juneteenth, June 19, is now an official US holiday.
To celebrate (and perhaps learn more about the history behind it), we recommend the following books:
Juneteenth for Mazie by Floyd Cooper
This wonderful picture book contextualizes the struggle and the celebration and is available in hardcover, paperback, and board book versions. Although at the time of this posting all formats are backordered at the national distributor, local bookstores might have copies on their shelves. (This is worth the wait for a reprint!)
All Different Now: Juneteenth, the First Day of Freedom by Angela Johnson, illustrated by E. B. Lewis
This gorgeous and informative picture book also includes a timeline and glossary. Again, it looks like it is awaiting a reprint, but you can check with your local bookstore and order to have one set aside when the new copies come in.
How the Word Is Passed: The History of Slavery Across America by Clint Smith
This nonfiction bestseller “leads the reader on an unforgettable tour of monuments and landmarks—those that are honest about the past and those that are not—that offer an intergenerational story of how slavery has been central in shaping our nation’s collective history, and ourselves.”
Juneteenth by Ralph Ellison
Although this novel is not about the announcement of abolition in Texas in 1865, it is an American classic– the “powerful, evocative tale of a prodigal of the twentieth century.”
Remembering Slavery: African Americans Talk about Their Personal Experiences of Slavery and Emancipation edited by Ira Berlin, Marc Favreau, Steven F. Miller
What are some titles you’d recommend?