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Explore how understanding Juneteenth and the Fourth of July together can tell a story of America that belongs to everyone.

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Known also as African American Independence Day, Jubilee Day, or Freedom Day, Juneteenth is a celebration of the emancipation of enslaved Black people in America. Explore ways to commemorate June 19 in the classroom with lesson plans, books, and more resources.

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Celebrate Juneteenth 2020 | Teach For America

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Known also as African American Independence Day, Jubilee Day, or Freedom Day, Juneteenth is a celebration of the emancipation of enslaved Black people in America. Explore ways to commemorate June 19 in the classroom with lesson plans, books, and more resources.

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Celebrate Juneteenth with Learning and Fun

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Celebrate Juneteenth with Learning and Fun

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By Jasmine Hood Miller | June 9, 2022

If you know whence you came, there is really no limit to where you can go.
-James Baldwin, author and activist

Juneteenth, now marked as a national holiday, is a day of reflection and jubilee for people in the African American community. On June 19, 1865, enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, were informed that they were now free, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. The following year those free men and women came together to celebrate the anniversary of their freedom -- creating a tradition that has spread across the United States and been passed down over generations, through celebratory events, food, and storytelling.

Whether your family has been celebrating Juneteenth for years or you learned about it recently, here are some thought-provoking and fun ways to share stories of our perseverance and determination to gain and hold on to freedom.

Remember and learn

Juneteenth may mark just one moment in the struggle for emancipation, but the holiday gives us an occasion to reflect on the profound contributions of enslaved Black Americans to the cause of human freedom.
-Jamelle Bouie, journalist

Books

Books are a great way to begin conversations with young children about complicated, sometimes scary topics like slavery and racism.

Henry's Freedom Box (5+)
True story of a boy's bravery and his later determination to reunite with his family.

All Different Now: Juneteenth, the First Day of Freedom (6+)
Beautiful imagining of a young girl and her family as they receive the news of their emancipation.

The 1619 Project: Born on the Water (7+)
Based on the award-winning New York Times Magazine anthology, this picture book highlights Black resistance, the often untold history of Africa, and the legacy of slavery in a developmentally appropriate and poetic way for younger readers.

The History of Juneteenth: A History Book for New Readers (7+)
Inspirational, factual chapter book for young readers that explains the history behind the holiday, and how celebrations have changed from its beginning to present day.

Never Caught, the Story of Ona Judge (9+)
Ugly truths about the USA's founding are told in this compelling historical tale of a young woman's fight for survival.

Movies and TV

TV shows and movies can offer realistic portrayals of the brutal treatment that enslaved Africans and their descendants endured -- and the dignity they maintained despite it all. Share in these experiences with your older tweens and teens by watching together, and try to make time before, during, or after to talk about some of the intense images and themes presented.

(12+)
Moving portrayal of a freedom fighter who embodied courage and a gift for envisioning a better future.

(14+)
Classic miniseries based on Alex Haley's book follows a family through the generations, from Africa to the Middle Passage, enslavement, and, eventually, freedom.

Miss Juneteenth (14+)
The tradition of Juneteenth is explained and celebrated as mother and daughter bond through pageantry and discovering their own beauty -- inside and out.

Underground (15+)
Intense drama shows some of the worst of human behavior -- and the triumph of the human spirit.

Bonus: Slavery at Monticello: Life and Work at Mulberry Row (app; 12+)
Explore the experience of enslaved people who lived and worked at President Thomas Jefferson's Monticello estate.

Honor and celebrate

[I]t's an opportunity to both look back but to look ahead to make sure that that notion of freedom, and the fragility of it, is always protected and celebrated.
-Lonnie Bunch, educator and historian

Juneteenth is a celebration to be enjoyed with reverence for all that our ancestors overcame. Here are some activities you can do together as a family to make the holiday special.

Sing-along for little ones: Sesame Street: Let's Celebrate Juneteenth Song
Young kids will have fun seeing themselves and bopping to this song about cultural pride.

Kid-voiced podcast: Hey Black Child
This episode, titled "The History of Juneteenth," gives kids a bite-size explanation of how the holiday got started and ways to celebrate.

Creative curation for teens: Press Play on History: Juneteenth from the National Museum of African American History and Culture
Older kids can engage in this self-guided activity by creating a themed playlist of songs that represents their interpretation of the historical experience of African Americans and Juneteenth.

Find a local festival or parade, have a barbecue, eat something red, attend a prayer service, or support a Black-owned business.

As we gather with our families to commemorate the day, take this time to acknowledge our shared history and look to the future.

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Celebrate Juneteenth with Learning and Fun

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By Jasmine Hood Miller | June 9, 2022 If you know whence you came, there is really no limit to where you can go. -James Baldwin, author and activist Juneteenth, now marked as a national holiday, is a day of reflection and jubilee for people in the African American community.

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How to Talk to Children About Juneteenth

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How to Talk to Children About Juneteenth

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June 19, or Juneteenth, is a holiday that commemorates the day that Texas, the last Confederate state, learned about the Emancipation Proclamation - marking the end of slavery in the United States in 1865.

But as University of Pittsburgh historian Alaina Roberts notes, it's important to remember that the emancipation of slaves didn't actually happen in one fell swoop.

"Juneteenth is a reminder that emancipation was not one moment in time: the news about the Emancipation Proclamation (which outlawed slavery within Confederate states) and the Thirteenth Amendment (which abolished slavery throughout the country) came to African Americans in different parts of the United States at different times," said Roberts, assistant professor in Pitt's Department of History in the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences.

How can we talk about Juneteenth and race with our children? To help, Pittwire sat down with Aisha White, director of the P.R.I.D.E. Program ( Positive Racial Identity Development in Early Education) in the School of Education's Office of Child Development. The goal of the P.R.I.D.E Program is to help young Black children develop a positive racial identity by supporting teachers, parents and other caregivers by providing resources that build their racial knowledge and skills.

How can we talk about Juneteenth to children?

You might not want to explain Juneteenth to kids if you don't want to explain slavery to them. It may be too scary a topic for kids that aren't old enough-and while children's ability to understand and manage that kind of information varies, it's safer to not start until they're closer to 6 or 7 years old. However, if children who are younger raise the issue, there are ways to explain it to them that won't cause anxiety.

I like to reference a TED Talk by author and scholar Beverly Daniel Tatum called "Is My Skin Brown Because I Drank Chocolate Milk?" The way she explained it to her son (who asked the question that became the title of her talk) was: A long time ago, before there were companies, stores and buildings, there were some people who needed to work the land in the United States. There was a need for smart, strong workers-and they went to Africa and brought them to the United States against their will which wasn't OK. They were people, but they were called slaves. Those people made them work, but never paid them and they were never allowed to leave the plantations where they worked; it was very unfair. But there were also good people who were working to end slavery, Black and white people, and they were eventually successful.

Of course, this is an abbreviated version and you may need to add many more details, but you will have at least covered many of the main issues.

Once you get to the part of the story where you're explaining Juneteenth, you can tell children that during that time there were no things like TV or phones to communicate; information was written in letters and carried from one place to another on horses. Not everyone got the news at the same time that slavery had ended, so it took two years for people to find out about it in Texas. But on June 19, people in that state did learn about it.

Should this story be told in a different way to a Black child than it would to a white child?

The story I described can be told to anyone. However, a white family might need to explain more explicitly that it was white people who enslaved Black people. White families should also make sure to describe how there were many white people who were allies in the struggle who helped to abolish slavery. And, it's also important for white families to be prepared to answer questions if their children ask why white people enslaved Black people.

Why is it important to talk about Juneteenth?

Juneteenth gave people freedom but it also gave them hope, something they had been longing for for a long time. Telling this particular story offers an opportunity for kids to know how important it was for people who had been treated so badly for so long to begin to experience a whole new way of life - to be truly free - and that's always something to celebrate.

How early should families be talking about race with children?

This doesn't differ between white and Black families. One way to introduce the conversation is by reading picture books. They're an easy and obvious way to introduce kids to people who don't look like them. Children need to have these conversations because they are seeing what we refer to as racial differences early. By the time a child is 3 months old, they can already notice someone whose skin color is different from their primary caregivers, just by looking at faces. They look longer at the face of someone whose skin color looks like their primary caregiver at that age. But at 6 months, they spend a longer amount of time looking at someone whose face is different from them, for example someone who is darker than their primary caregiver.

As they grow and develop, kids are taking in all the information they get from everywhere in the world, including watching television, being engaged in local activities, the covers of magazines at the grocery story. They can put two and two together, but they don't always end up with four. If we don't talk to our kids, they often make their own sense of things on their own.

How might conversations about race look different for Black families and white families?

Black families should be consistently providing uplifting information for children. In the literature, it's called racial socialization: helping kids feel good about themselves as individuals, including their facial features and hair texture. It's important they understand they're part of a larger group of people who are part of their race and feel good about that, about the things those people created and the history of those people. The messages are more protective and can serve as a preventive measure that interrupts the process of them internalizing negative attitudes about themselves they can develop as a result of living in a racialized society.

For white families, it's important to do work that interrupts white children developing a false sense of racial superiority. Parents should be stifling the idea of racial superiority-and emphasizing that goodness, smartness or kindness is not assigned to a certain race of people.

What should parents be mindful of while teaching their kids about race and racism?

If a parent chooses not to talk about race with their kids, they should know that they're actually taking an action-being silent is taking action, just the wrong kind. When a child says something that may be racially unacceptable, parents should treat it like any other conversation that they may have with children and not react in ways that are extreme. They should not shush children when they ask questions. The conversation should be natural and comfortable so that children feel free to ask questions and sometimes make mistakes. Children will easily pick up if you're uncomfortable during these conversations, so it's better to be sure you're ready to have them rather than jump into them unprepared. Parents should talk with other adults about race and racial issues in order to feel comfortable and well prepared to have those conversations with their children.

What is the most important thing a parent can be doing right now during this moment in history?

Conversations are important. People may not think they're significant, but the absence of conversation is doing a whole lot of harm. Their child might have lots of questions they don't know how to ask. If you open up the dialogue, you'll be more likely to know more about what they've seen, what they're thinking about, what they're wondering about.

For example, their child may be extremely afraid of what they're seeing on the news. Even for parents who are very careful about what their children watch, they might come into the living room when you don't expect it. And they can still have concerns even if they've heard about these things secondhand. If you don't have a conversation with them, they may be scared to death.

Parents might want to open up the conversation by saying to their child: "We've never talked about this before, but I think now we need to as a family. There are lots of things happening with people protesting here in our city and in the country and I really would like to know what you're thinking or wondering about what's going on." Once they tell you, then, as a parent, you can help fill in the gaps, answer their questions and assure them that if they're worried or afraid, you'll help keep them as safe as possible.
This story has been updated.

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How to talk to children about Juneteenth

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June 19, or Juneteenth, is a holiday that commemorates the day that Texas, the last Confederate state, learned about the Emancipation Proclamation - marking the end of slavery in the United States in 1865. But as University of Pittsburgh historian Alaina Roberts notes, it's important to remember that the emancipation of slaves didn't actually happen in one fell swoop.

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Sesame Street: Let's Celebrate Juneteenth Song | Power of We Club

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Today Juneteenth commemorates African American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement. It is a day, a week, and in some areas, a month marked with celebrations, guest speakers, picnics and family gatherings. It is a time for reflection and rejoicing. It is a time for assessment, self-improvement and for planning the future.

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Biden Signs Law Making Juneteenth a Federal Holiday

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Biden Signs Law Making Juneteenth a Federal Holiday

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On June 19, 1865 -- two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation announced the abolition of slavery in the United States -- the enslaved people of Galveston, Texas, finally learned they were free. Known today as Juneteenth, the anniversary of this announcement is celebrated throughout the United States as a day for commemorating the emancipation of enslaved people and for remembering the atrocities against Black Americans that took place during the period of U.S. slavery. Below you'll find a list of books for kids and teens that feature stories of enslaved people and their experiences, the bravery of abolitionists and freedom fighters, and the joyous celebrations and communities organized by freed Black Americans. Before you light the grill or attend local festivities, recognize the importance of this holiday and what it means for all Americans by reading some of these stories together as a family. But history doesn't stop there, and your family shouldn't, either: Keep exploring Black history with our other book recommendations for young kids, tweens, and teens.

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On June 19, 1865 -- two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation announced the abolition of slavery in the United States -- the enslaved people of Galveston, Texas, finally learned they were free.

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Chicago Public Library Juneteenth Reading List

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Chicago Public Library Juneteenth Reading List

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Juneteenth Reading List - Chicago Public Library

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Juneteenth Reading List by ChiPubLib_Adults - a staff-created list : Celebrate June 19th with these books about the abolition of slavery.

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Editor's Note: A version of this story was initially published in June 2020.

You might see another red, white and blue flag flying this weekend over state capitols and city buildings.

That banner with a bursting star in the middle is the Juneteenth Flag, a symbolic representation of the end of slavery in the United States.

The flag is the brainchild of activist Ben Haith, founder of the National Juneteenth Celebration Foundation (NJCF). Haith created the flag in 1997 with the help of collaborators, and Boston-based illustrator Lisa Jeanne Graf brought their vision to life.

The flag was revised in 2000 into the version we know today, according to the National Juneteenth Observation Foundation. Seven years later, the date "June 19, 1865" was added, commemorating the day that Union Army Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger rode into Galveston, Texas, and told enslaved African Americans of their emancipation.

For two decades now, communities around the country have held flag-raising ceremonies on Juneteenth in celebration of their freedom.

"This country has so many aspects to it that are spiritual, and I believe this flag is of that nature," Haith said. "It (the idea for the design) just came through me."

Designing the flag and its symbols was a deliberate process, Haith said. Here's what each element of the flag represents.

The star

The white star in the center of the flag has a dual meaning, Haith said.

For one, it represents Texas, the Lone Star State. It was in Galveston in 1865 where Union soldiers informed the country's last remaining enslaved people that, under the Emancipation Proclamation issued two years earlier, they were free.

But the star also goes beyond Texas, representing the freedom of African Americans in all 50 states.

The burst

The bursting outline around the star is inspired by a nova, a term that astronomers use to mean a new star.

On the Juneteenth flag, this represents a new beginning for the African Americans of Galveston and throughout the land.

The arc

The curve that extends across the width of the flag represents a new horizon: the opportunities and promise that lay ahead for Black Americans.

The colors

The red, white and blue represents the American flag, a reminder that slaves and their descendants were and are Americans.

June 19, 1865, represents the day that enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, became Americans under the law.

And while African Americans today are still fighting for equality and justice, Haith said those colors symbolize the continuous commitment of people in the United States to do better - and to live up to the American ideal of liberty and justice for all.

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The Juneteenth flag is full of symbols. Here's what they mean | CNN

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Editor's Note: A version of this story was initially published in June 2020. You might see another red, white and blue flag flying this weekend over state capitols and city buildings. That banner with a bursting star in the middle is the Juneteenth Flag, a symbolic representation of the end of slavery in the United States.

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Webinar: Teaching About Juneteenth with Children's Books (1:01:46)

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Webinar: Teaching About Juneteenth with Children's Books (1:01:46)

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Webinar: Teaching About Juneteenth with Children's Books

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155th Anniversary of Juneteenth Google Doodle (1:30)

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155th Anniversary of Juneteenth Google Doodle (1:30)

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One Woman's Decades-Long Fight To Make Juneteenth A U.S. Holiday

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One Woman's Decades-Long Fight To Make Juneteenth A U.S. Holiday

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Opal Lee is 94 and she's doing a holy dance.

It's a dance she says she and her ancestors have been waiting 155 years, 11 months and 28 days to do.

Ever since Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger rode into Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, to spread the news of the Emancipation Proclamation outlawing slavery in Confederate states. President Abraham Lincoln had signed it more than two years earlier.

"And now we can all finally celebrate. The whole country together," Lee told NPR minutes after a landslide House vote on Wednesday approving legislation establishing the day, now known as Juneteenth, as a federal holiday to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States.

President Biden signed the bill on Thursday, and Lee was standing beside him during the ceremony.

She's known as the Grandmother of Juneteenth

In a warm and raspy voice, Lee recalls her decades of work in the Juneteenth movement after joining The Tarrant County Black Historical and Genealogical Society, which oversaw local Juneteenth celebrations. But, she says that after more than 40 years as a community activist, she "really doubled down in 2016" by "going bigger."

At the age of 89, Lee decided her new life mission was much like that of Granger: "I knew I just had to spread the word about Juneteenth to everybody." The best way to do that, she figured, was to help get Juneteenth accepted as a national holiday.

She decided to start with a walking campaign in cities along a route from her home in Ft. Worth, Texas, to Washington, D.C. It wasn't a straight line. Over several weeks, Lee arrived in cities where she'd been invited to speak and walked 2 ½ miles to symbolize the 2 ½ years that it took for enslaved people in Texas to learn they were free.

"I was thinking that surely somebody would see a little old lady in tennis shoes trying to get to Congress and notice," she says, laughing at the memory.

Since then, Lee has become known as the Grandmother of Juneteenth. Her annual walks culminated in a trip to the Capitol last September, carrying a petition signed by one and a half million Americans urging Congress to pass legislation for a federal holiday. "It wasn't a success," she says about the trip.

Undeterred, she returned again in February as a new version of the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act was reintroduced.

It's difficult to get any day declared a national holiday

Technically, there is no such thing as a national holiday, because neither the president nor Congress has ever asserted its power to declare a holiday that binds all 50 states, according to the Congressional Research Service.

Instead, the two branches establish permanent federal holidays which only legally apply to federal employees across the nation and in the District of Columbia. Meanwhile, states independently establish their own holidays or commemoration days.

As of now, there are 10 federal holidays for the country at large.

Prior to the passage of the Juneteenth legislation by the House and Senate this week, there have only been four new holidays added to the national calendar in the past 100 years.

The last one was in 1983, when then-President Ronald Reagan signed a bill adding Martin Luther King Jr. Day to celebrate King's contribution to the Civil Rights Movement. It was a 15-year journey that began in 1968, four days after King was assassinated, and it wasn't actually observed until 1986. Even then, it took another 18 years for all individual states to also recognize the holiday.

Among the most avid opponents was Arizona, which didn't come around until 1995 - a couple of years after the NFL moved a Super Bowl game to California in protest. It was a move that cost the state an estimated $500 million in revenue.

South Carolina also resisted national pressure to acknowledge the day until 2000, when it finally agreed to give state employees a paid holiday off. The fight in that state revolved around an effort by the governor to fly the Confederate battle flag over the state house. To get around the controversy, he eventually signed a bill declaring two holidays: Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Confederate Memorial Day, which is celebrated in May.

As for Juneteenth, there has been a surge in recognition in recent years by local and state governments - 47 states acknowledge it in some way, with some, including Texas, declaring it a paid holiday.

The price tag was a major hurdle

One of the challenges elected officials face in declaring a new federal holiday is the cost. That was true for Martin Luther King Jr. Day and it became a major roadblock in the case of Juneteenth.

According to a 2014 estimate by the White House budget office, it costs $660 million to cover a day of payroll and holiday premium pay.

That was the stumbling block for Republican Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, who voted against the Juneteenth legislation in 2020 when it was first introduced. While he favored celebrating the end of chattelslavery - the practice of enslaving and owning people and their offspring as property, to be bought, sold and forced to work without wages - he said he could not get behind paying for another day off for federal workers. At the time, he suggested dropping one of the 10 federal holidays.

This year, Johnson's concern was overridden by the Senate's overwhelming support. "While it still seems strange that having taxpayers provide federal employees paid time off is now required to celebrate the end of slavery, it is clear that there is no appetite in Congress to further discuss the matter. Therefore, I do not intend to object," he said in a statement.

Still, several House Republicans raised the same issue on Wednesday, including Rep. James Comer, who voted in favor of the bill. He complained that the Congressional Budget Office hadn't been given time to consider the impact of "granting the entire federal workforce another day off work."

A day before the House vote, Rep. Sheila Lee Jackson, the Democrat from Houston and one of many who sponsored the act, dismissed the price-tag problem and called it a distraction.

"I don't think that we will lose our shirt by adding only one other holiday that commemorates the life, the legacy, and the history African Americans," Jackson told NPR.

"Am I to believe that it is too costly to have one other holiday that commemorates our history?" she added.

During the vote, Jackson held up graphic photos of the brutality and legacy of slavery. One showed the welted scars on the back of a man who'd been savagely whipped. Another showed the gruesome hanging of two Black men during the Jim Crow era. The lifeless bodies stood at the center of the frame, flanked by dozens of smiling white men looking directly at the camera.

On the phone, Jackson remarked on the inherent contradictions of celebrating Juneteenth and the sadness in knowing that freed people remained enslaved after they should have been released from bondage.

"Two years and they did not know," she said.

"How many lives were lost? What kind of brutality did they face in that period of time?"

"Yet," she concluded, it is a profoundly joyous day "because it allows little children in schools to be taught the wonderment of America and that America can overcome its ills to be able to rise to its better days.'

Despite the "history of its ills," Jackson said, "What better concept to rally around in the idea of freedom for us all?"

Like MLK Day, Juneeteenth faced an uphill struggle

Professor emeritus Clayborne Carson, director of The Martin Luther King, Jr. Papers Project at Stanford University, sees some similarities between the movements for a King holiday and the one commemorating Juneteenth. But he says he's amazed by the momentum of the latest movement, which until a few years ago was not a part of the mainstream conversation.

He says that is likely due to King's waning support at the time of his death, even among Black leaders.

"Martin Luther King faced a lot of criticism for his stand on the Vietnam War and his Poor People's Campaign was not not meant to build his popularity," Carson said.

Though he's now a beloved figure around the world, Carson emphasized King "was very controversial during his time ... he was at the low point."

A tremendous amount of work by King supporters went into rehabilitating his image and defining King's legacy as "a leader who presented a positive way forward for the nation," he says. He credits Coretta Scott King, King's wife, with spearheading that effort and rallying Black leaders around the cause.

To Lee, the holiday's creation is like a dream

For Opal Lee, whose paternal great-grandmother was born into bondage in Louisiana, this Juneteenth "is like a dream."

"I knew I would see it happen in my lifetime," she says with a throaty laugh. "But I have to keep my cool."

She's delighted the day will be an official holiday. When she straps on her white sneakers for the annual 2 ½ mile walk, the nonagenarian says everyone "all over the country can cherish it as a day of unity."

The walk this year will be national, Lee says. In addition to the Ft. Worth event, organizers in Houston, Los Angeles, Atlanta, New York and other cities have set up walks to commemorate the day.

With every step, Lee says she'll be praying and giving thanks. "I'll be thinking of my ancestors. I'll be thinking about my great-great-grandchildren and my grandchildren and my children."

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One Woman's Decades-Long Fight To Make Juneteenth A U.S. Holiday

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Opal Lee is 94 and she's doing a holy dance. It's a dance she says she and her ancestors have been waiting 155 years, 11 months and 28 days to do. Ever since Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger rode into Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, to spread the news of the Emancipation Proclamation outlawing slavery in Confederate states.

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18 Books To Read Leading Up To Juneteenth

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As awareness of this holiday spreads, so have concerns about sanitizing its legacy. However, there’s no better resource on Juneteenth than the printed word.

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We celebrate Juneteenth to commemorate the day that enslaved Black Texans in the U.S. were finally free. It's a celebration of our ancestors' legal freedom. And the acknowledgment of Texas's determination to continue chattel slavery and oppression. If you want to celebrate Juneteenth this year-but need some activity ideas-you're in the right place. Keep reading for 12 ideas on how to celebrate Juneteenth this year.

But First: Some Important History

Before we dive into how to celebrate Juneteenth , we want to cover some important facts about the holiday (and clarify some misunderstandings). The Slavery and Freedom exhibition at the National Museum of African American History & Culture is an incredible resource to learn about the intertwined history of freedom and slavery in America. If you're unable to go in person, I highly recommend visiting the online exhibition . It begins:

"Five hundred years ago, a new form of slavery transformed Africa, Europe, and the Americas. For the first time, people saw other human beings as commodities-things to be bought, sold, and exploited to make enormous profits. This system changed the world. The United States was created in this context, forged by slavery as well as a radical new concept, freedom. This is a shared story, a shared past, told through the lives of African Americans who helped form the nation."

The root of the American Civil War (1861-1865) was an unreconcilable position on the institution of slavery between the Northern and the Southern states. The end of the war in 1865 led to the ratification of the 13th amendment, ending chattel slavery in the U.S.

But the truth is that the end of slavery in the U.S. is more complicated than that. This is what Juneteenth is all about.

End of Slavery Timeline

January 1, 1863 - Emancipation Proclamation

April 9, 1865 - Civil War Ends

June 19, 1865 - Juneteenth (General Order Number 6)

December 6, 1865 - 13th Amendment

What Is The Emancipation Proclamation?

Many of us learned President Lincoln freed enslaved people by signing the Emancipation Proclamation, but that's just plain wrong.

Fact: President Lincoln issued the proclamation twice during the civil war. The second time he issued it, on January 1, 1863, it came with limited scope and declared "that all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free"-meaning that the border slave states who sided with the Union could still legally practice slavery.

Fact: The proclamation was both a tool of hope and war. The proclamation was a vision statement that cast radical hope and widespread imagination to enslaved Black folks, freed Black folks, and white abolitionists about the United States' future.

Concretely, the proclamation legally allowed Black folks (freed and enslaved) to enlist in the Union military. By the end of the war, over 200,000 Black folks would serve in the Union army and navy. Two and a half years after signing the Emancipation Proclamation, the civil war was coming to an end and so was chattel slavery.
Fact: The Emancipation Proclamation did not officially end slavery in the United States, the 13th amendment did.
What Is Juneteenth?

Even though the Emancipation Proclamation did not end slavery for everyone in the U.S., it still granted enslaved Black people in rebellious states their freedom. But for enslaved people in Texas, news of the Emancipation Proclamation did not reach them until two years after it was signed and two months after the Civil War ended. This shows just how determined Texas was to continue chattel slavery and oppression.

Juneteenth, or Jubliee Day, marks the day federal troops led by Union General Gordon Granger issued an order in Galveston, Texas to finally set those enslaved people free (even though they had been freed, months earlier already). General Order Number 3 stated:

"The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired laborer."

We can find records of the first Juneteenth celebration as early as 1866, making this the longest Black American holiday to be celebrated. As Texans migrated around the United States, they brought their celebrations with them. Juneteenth is celebrated in many cities across the United States with family, food, and fun.

Juneteenth is the celebration of Black people working to free themselves of slavery.

Why Many Families Don't Know About Juneteenth

If you're recently learning about Juneteenth, you're not alone. Many families, including Black families, are unaware of this little piece of history. It's often excluded in history textbooks and family stories because it's so specific to Texas history. Growing up in the North, there wasn't any mention of Juneteenth. It wasn't until we moved to Houston, Texas that I began to learn the rich history of Juneteenth. The truth is that Juneteenth is still rarely taught in schools and was not officially recognized as a holiday by the federal government until June 17, 2021.

If you don't know about Juneteenth, that's likely due to the white domination still rampant in American society. Until President Biden officially made Juneteenth a national holiday, there was no commemoration for ending slavery in the U.S. Let that sink in a little bit. In contrast, George Washington's birthday has been a national holiday since the late 1870s, and Columbus Day has been a national holiday since 1934.

Our country has a long history of avoiding discussing, confronting, and acknowledging its racist history. Celebrating Juneteenth is a way to remember the lives taken by slavery, acknowledge the trauma imposed on generations of Americans who are the descendants of slaves, and celebrate the day of freedom for all enslaved people.

It's a heavy, devastating topic of conversation, and can be hard to navigate with your young ones. Use this article as a starting point for how to celebrate Juneteenth with your family.

Learn how to talk about antiracism with your kids in my new book Raising Antiracist Children.

How to Celebrate Juneteenth : 12 Family-Friendly Activities

1. Learn the History

The above history of Juneteenth is just a starting point. A great way to celebrate Juneteenth is to learn about the history of slavery in the U.S.-especially the perspectives and information omitted from traditional education. Here are a few ways to learn more about Juneteenth:

2. Attend Juneteenth Events in Your Community

Odds are, there are some community celebrations of Juneteenth that you can attend. Most of the time, these are family-friendly street fairs or festivals, filled with local Black vendors and great food.

3. Host a Backyard BBQ

Juneteenth is an excellent opportunity to spend quality time with your neighbors. Consider setting up a grill, turning on some tunes by Black artists, and serving up a storm of mouthwatering, delicious Southern classics. Because the official color for Juneteenth is red, you could focus on serving red foods. If you're non-Black, remember to center Black history and antiracist activism during your BBQ event. And definitely say no to cultural appropriation.

4. Support Black-Owned Businesses

If you're looking for a day off from kitchen duties, consider ordering from a Black-owned restaurant. Or spend part of the day shopping at local Black-owned businesses. Invest in new clothes, housewares, jewelry, you name it-celebrate Black liberation with your purchasing power.

5. Teach Your Children the Truth

6. Plan a Juneteenth Meal With Your Family

Juneteenth celebrations are often a community event, but it's always good to spend intentional time with your family. You could cook traditional Southern foods together, and at the table discuss what you know about Juneteenth and how it has impacted your family. For non-Black families, this is a perfect time to discuss your anti-racist action plan. Here are a few Southern cookbooks by Black chefs:

7. Donate to Black-Owned Nonprofit Organizations

Consider donating to nonprofit organizations that advocate for Black people. Funding an organization that you care about can help ensure that it can continue to do the work to make freedom a reality for Black people in the U.S. Here are some great organizations to donate to:

8. Understand and Support Reparations

Juneteenth is a celebration, not reconciliation. Black people are still owed acknowledgment, compensation, restitution, and rehabilitation for the hundreds of years of enslavement and continued discrimination. "We demand reparations for past and continuing harms. The government, responsible corporations and other institutions that have profited off of the harm they have inflicted on Black people - from colonialism to slavery through food and housing redlining, mass incarceration, and surveillance - must repair the harm done." M4BL Learn more about supporting reparations by visiting The Movement for Black Lives.

9. Read Black Stories All Month

Queue up your summer reading list with Black authors and start reading this month! Here are a few suggestions for the adults: Octavia Butler, Audre Lorde, Roxanne Gay, Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, and James Baldwin. And some suggestions for the kids: Jacqueline Woodson, Nikki Giovanni, Walter Dean Myers, Kwame Alexander, Jason Reynolds, and Andrea Davis Pinkney.

The works of Black American authors have-and continue to-make literary history. While we celebrate Black freedom, let's also celebrate Black accomplishments. Remember that kids learn often learn by watching, and that includes who and what you read.

10. Commit to Antiracism

While Juneteenth represents the ending of the Civil War and a new era, white supremacy and institutionalized racism are alive and continue to impact People of the Global Majority in the U.S. worldwide. Commit to the practice of antiracism-embark on a journey to untangle the racism you inherited in school and at home and take real, accountable steps to lead an antiracist life.

11. Watch Our Favorite TV Episode about Juneteenth:

Pop some popcorn and cozy up to watch our favorite Juneteenth episode. The Johnsons Celebrate Juneteenth - Black-ish Season 4 Premiere .

12. Ask Your Children

Tell the story of Juneteenth to your children and ask them how they would like to honor and celebrate the holiday.

Bonus Activities for the Classroom

13. Educators, Learn the History of Juneteenth

Check out Teaching About Juneteenth with Children's Books hosted by Lee & Low Books

14. Use Primary Sources

Introduce your learners to primary sources about the Civil War. Teach them that primary sources are documents, images, or artifacts that provide firsthand testimony or direct evidence concerning a historical topic. Start by reviewing the original Emancipation Proclamation .

Ask The Hard Questions

It can be daunting to "get it right" and that's why we ask questions. When you want to celebrate Juneteenth, you're already on the right track to honoring the memory of those who were enslaved. It is ultimately a day to deepen your understanding of this country's history, and your connection with modern-day race issues and remnants of slavery. As long as you stay connected, curious, and dedicated to doing better, you can help the cause. I'm rooting for you!

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Here's What Juneteenth Is All About + How to Celebrate

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We celebrate Juneteenth to commemorate the day that enslaved Black Texans in the U.S. were finally free. It's a celebration of our ancestors' legal freedom. And the acknowledgment of Texas's determination to continue chattel slavery and oppression. If you want to celebrate Juneteenth this year-but need some activity ideas-you're in the right place.

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Lesson Plan: History of Juneteenth and why it's now a national holiday, Gr6-12

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Lesson Plan: History of Juneteenth and why it's now a national holiday, Gr6-12

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This lesson was originally published on June 16, 2021 and was updated on June 15, 2022.
For a Google version of this lesson plan, click here. (Note: you will need to make a copy of the document to edit it). Overview:
In this lesson, students will explore and discuss the history and context around the Juneteenth holiday in the United States. Topics explored will include the history of racial injustice in the U.S., the Civil War and the limitations of the Emancipation Proclamation. Additionally, students will be encouraged to explore the modern significance of Juneteenth and its long-term impact.

Time: One 50-60 minute class period

Grades: 6-12
Introduction
On June 15, 2021, the Senate unanimously approved a bill approving June 19 as a federal holiday for "Juneteenth National Independence Day." The House passed the bill one day later. Still, many Americans are still unaware of the history and significance of June 19.

On Jan. 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation declaring "that all persons held as slaves" in the Confederacy "shall be free." While this may have freed some enslaved people on paper, the reality was much more complicated.

For instance, the Emancipation Proclamation only freed those slaves held under the Confederacy, not in border states loyal to the Union, including Kentucky, West Virginia and Delaware, where slavery was still legal after the Emancipation Proclamation. In fact, slavery was still legal in Kentucky until Dec. 1865, when the 13th Amendment was passed, though Kentucky voted against ratifying the amendment.

Confederate states and slaveholders also resisted emancipation, and many people remained enslaved in Confederate states after the proclamation, even as many enslaved people fought for their freedom or escaped behind Union lines. On June 19, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger of the Union issued an order in Galveston, Texas, alerting all enslaved persons that they were legally free.

At this point in 1865, Texas was the westernmost state in America and one of the last Confederate states to be occupied by the Union. Many slaveholders had fled Union advances in other parts of the South to Texas, along with the people they had enslaved.

While it took time for the logistics of "freeing" enslaved people to come into effect, the importance of June 19, or "Juneteenth" lived on. Considering how complicated emancipation was, many dates were considered for holding celebrations of emancipation, but over 150 years later, June 19 remains.

What originally was a holiday mainly observed by Texans has grown to be recognized all over the country. Each year on "Juneteenth," (or more formally Juneteenth National Freedom Day), communities all around the United States gather and celebrate and reflect on the history of slavery and struggle for civil rights and equality, including the work that still remains after conditional advances such as the Emancipation Proclamation.
Warm up activity
As a class, watch the BrainPop video (8 minutes) below found introducing Juneteenth. While watching the video, answer the following discussion questions.
Discussion questions:

What is "Juneteenth"? What does it celebrate?

Why did it take so long for enslaved peoples in Texas to finally be free? What obstacles existed?

What were some of the forms of discrimination against newly freed people mentioned in the video?

What is the Great Migration?

How did Juneteenth become a national, not just regional, celebration?

After watching the video, separate into groups of 3-4 to discuss the focus questions (5 minutes).

Main activities:

1. Along with their groups, participants should read through the article "What is Juneteenth" by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. starting at the second section, "Other Contenders." (10 minutes) After reading, discuss the following questions (5-10 minutes):

Why was June 19 chosen as the date to celebrate the freedom of all Americans? What were some of the drawbacks to other dates? Can you make an argument for why you think a different date might have been better or worse?

Gates describes several reasons why Juneteenth struggled to be remembered at times, and why it was able to endure. Compare and contrast what the BrainPop video included as reasons why Juneteenth struggled and endured with what Gates emphasizes. What do you think were the most important factors in Juneteenth's momentum and remembrance worth continuing?

2. If Juneteenth isn't recognized in your state, see if you can answer: Why is Juneteenth not recognized? At the end of the article in the "Juneteenth Today" section, Gates describes how Juneteenth has spread in modern day. Explore Juneteenth in your local community. Search for the history of Juneteenth in your community and state. (10-15 minutes) Find out:

Does my state recognize Juneteenth?

When did my state start recognizing Juneteenth, if at all?

What was the process of Juneteenth becoming a holiday in my state?

Resources students can use include:

Additional activities
1. Brainstorm or plan a Juneteenth celebration activity. This can be decorating a common area, bringing in a relevant local speaker or planning a refreshment break for your school. Juneteenth celebrations can be in the home, at school or in community locations. For more inspiration see these resources:

2. Some activists feel ambivalent about Juneteenth becoming a national holiday, or reject the idea. To learn more about the nuances surrounding making Juneteenth a federal holiday, watch this NewsHour interview with Dr. Mark Anthony Neal recorded in 2020 amid the George Floyd protests.

If classrooms finish and plan a celebratory activity, please share your ideas with us on social media @NewsHourEXTRA on Twitter.
Cecilia Curran is a current rising sophomore at Amherst College. She is a prospective double major in Asian Languages & Civilization and Psychology looking to work in Public Health. This summer she is working as one of PBS NewsHour EXTRA's interns. Local to northern Virginia, Cecilia has loved PBS and her local PBS station WETA for years and is ecstatic to work with NewsHour this summer.
This lesson was edited by NewsHour Classroom's education producer and former history teacher Vic Pasquantonio.

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Lesson Plan: History of Juneteenth and why it's now a national holiday - PBS NewsHour Classroom

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This lesson was originally published on June 16, 2021 and was updated on June 15, 2022. For a Google version of this lesson plan, click here . (Note: you will need to make a copy of the document to edit it).

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A Juneteenth Message from Teaching for America (TFA) Black Staffers (8:45)

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A Juneteenth Message from Teaching for America (TFA) Black Staffers (8:45)

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A Juneteenth Message from TFA Black Staffers

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10 Books to Celebrate Juneteenth No Matter Your Age

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10 Books to Celebrate Juneteenth No Matter Your Age

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June 19, 1865 was the day news of freedom reached the last enslaved person in the Americas. Also called Emancipation Day, it's the equivalent to Independence Day for Blacks with a history of slavery. Yes, the Emancipation Proclamation (which should have freed the slaves) only included enslaved people of the North while many slaves of the South joined the Union army. It took the end of Civil War and news to travel all the way to Galveston, Texas before all slaves were free.

Here in LA, celebrations that include lots of food, dancing, and activities, have been happening for the last few weeks. For me, celebrations also call for books. Here are 10 books to celebrate Juneteenth from young to old.

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10 Books to Celebrate Juneteenth No Matter Your Age - Black & Bookish

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June 19, 1865 was the day news of freedom reached the last enslaved person in the Americas. Also called Emancipation Day, it's the equivalent to Independence Day for Blacks with a history of slavery. Yes, the Emancipation Proclamation (which should have freed the slaves) only included enslaved people of the North while many slaves of the South joined the Union army.

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Children's Books Celebrating Juneteenth 

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Children's Books Celebrating Juneteenth 

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19th of June is Juneteenth! Also known as Juneteenth Freedom Day, it commemorates the abolition of slavery in Texas, and more generally the emancipation of African American slaves throughout the Confederate South. On June 19th 1865 the Union soldiers brought the news to Texas that the war had ended and the slaves were now free.

Here are some great children's books celebrating Juneteenth, for Elementary School, Middle School and High School:

10 Children's Books celebrating Juneteenth

Mazie is unhappy about her perceived lack of freedom, including bedtimes and cookie restrictions. Her father explains that her restrictions aren't so terrible: "Well, Great, Great, Great Grandpa Mose heard 'no' even more." The day before Juneteenth Mazie's father tells her of the struggles and triumphs of her ancestors, from slavery and the Emancipation Proclamation to segregation and the Selma to Montgomery March. With simple text and realistic oil paintings, Juneteenth for Mazie introduces young readers to this historical day. ~ African - Elementary School

Cassie's family has recently moved to Texas, and it doesn't quite feel like home yet. Then one day there is a lot of excitement: Her aunt visits, her mom fills a big picnic basket with delicious food, the whole family dresses up and heads out. Cassie learns that it is Juneteenth. The community celebration helps her to feel a stronger connection with her new home state. With lively text and warm illustrations, Juneteenth Jamboree is a great introduction to this important holiday. ~ African - Elementary School

Juneteenth describes the historical event from the perspective of some slaves as they go about their daily work. When the news of the abolition of slavery arrive, the man working in the cornfield starts to cry, the woman scrubbing the floors dances on the wet floor, the woman milking the cows falls to her knees. Everywhere in Texas people stop working and jump for joy. The expressive paintings of this touching picture book reflect the feelings of the freed slaves beautifully. ~ African - Elementary School

Together with their elderly Aunt Marshall, June and her sullen cousin Lillie from New York celebrate Juneteenth in 1943 Texas. Lillie is bored with "the dumb old slave holiday," but when she sees the many "Whites Only" signs, she realizes that freedom still very much needs to be fought for. When Aunt Marshall tells the girls about what it was like for her to be born a slave and to be set free, both girls are profoundly moved. Freedom's Gifts introduces children to the subjects of slavery, Juneteenth and segregation. ~ African - Elementary School

AllDifferent Nowtells the story of the day freedom finally came arrived in Texas from a little girl's perpective. Like every day her family gets ready to work in the cotton fields. The news that will change the family's life forever reach them whilst working in the fields. "We were all / now and forever free / and things / would be / all different now." With free verse text and rich watercolour paintings this is the most stunning of children's books celebrating Juneteenth. Includes a timeline, glossary and notes from the author and illustrator. ~ African - Elementary School

Juneteenth: A Celebration of Freedom provides in-depth coverage of the day that slavery ended in Texas. It explains the meaning and the historical context of Juneteenth and gives examples of the celebrations from 1866 to today. Colourful illustrations, archival photographs, and historical documents make the information accessible for readers aged ten and up. ~ African - Middle School

The Emancipation Proclamation has brought an end to slavery, but the road to freedom is still long and hard. With 3 story paths, 46 choices, and 22 endings, The Story of Juneteenth lets young readers role play life as a freed slave. They have to overcome obstacles on their way north, find their lost family, and stand up for their rights when they are still being treated as a slave. This unique interactive story book makes history real for middle grade students. ~ African - Middle School

Juneteenth: Freedom Day chronicles the evolvement of Juneteenth from a relatively local to a nationwide celebration. The author and photographer traveled to various places in the US to experience and document this celebration of freedom. With photographs, historical facts and newspaper quotes, the book explores the history of Juneteenth in an accessible way. ~ African - Middle School

Born a slave, Sis Goose has been unofficially adopted into the slave owner's family after her mother's death. Her and Luli, the farmer's daughter, grow up as sisters. One day Union soldiers arrive and announce that slaves have been declared free for nearly two years. When Sis Goose realizes that the people she called family have lied to her for that long, she runs away, leading to tragic consequences. Come Juneteenth is a moving historical novel about family, the true meaning of freedom and the historical events that led to the celebration of Juneteenth. ~ African - High School

When Tiny hears rumours that the war is over and slaves will soon be free, she runs away from the plantation. In the back of a wagon she makes her way to Galveston where she hears Major General Granger read the proclamation announcing the slaves are free. Tiny joins the spontaneous celebration, but her former owner tries to prevent her from living a free life. Part of the Young Texans Series, Tiny's Emancipation tells the gripping story of a young freed slave, and sheds light on the origins of Juneteenth. ~ African - High School

*You can buy any of the books on this site from Amazon USA, CAN or UK by clicking on the book titles or images*

More Children's Books about Black History:
8 New Picture Book Biographies for Black History Month 21 Picture Books for Black History Month Children's Books about the Harlem Renaissance African American Historical Fiction for Middle School 21 Award-winning Children's Books for Black History Month 9 Children's Books about Nelson Mandela & Desmond Tutu Top 10 Children's Books about Kwanzaa Multicultural Book of the Month: Voice of Freedom Multicultural Book of the Month: The Case for Loving Multicultural Book of the Month: Radiant Child

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10 Children's Books celebrating Juneteenth

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19th of June is Juneteenth! Also known as Juneteenth Freedom Day, it commemorates the abolition of slavery in Texas, and more generally the emancipation of African American slaves throughout the Confederate South. On June 19th 1865 the Union soldiers brought the news to Texas that the war had ended and the slaves were now free.

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NMAAHC Kids: Understanding and Celebrating Juneteenth

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NMAAHC Kids: Understanding and Celebrating Juneteenth

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A classroom guide for the book Juneteenth Jamboree, that’s appropriate for students in grades K-5

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A classroom guide for the book Juneteenth Jamboree, that’s appropriate for students in grades K-5

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National Museum of African American History and Culture

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Frederick Douglass once famously asked, " What to a slave is the Fourth of July?" To honor the anniversary of the freedom granted to those enslaved African Americans, we've pondered a similar question, "What is the significance of Juneteenth to the Black community?" In this three-part series we interviewed three experts at the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) to find the answer: Mary Elliot, Curator of American slavery, and emancipation; Angela Tate, Museum Curator of African American women's history; and Kelly E. Navies, Museum Specialist of Oral history.

To kick off our discussion we asked each curator to answer the question: What is Juneteenth?

Mary Elliott, Curator of American Slavery

Juneteenth is a significant date in American history and the African American experience. The name is a play on the date of June 19th, 1865. On that day, the Union Army made its way into Galveston, TX under the leadership of General Gordon Granger, and he announced to the people of Texas that all enslaved African Americans were free.

Even though we know that the Emancipation Proclamation freed African Americans in rebelling states (Texas being one of them, from as early as it when the Proclamation went into effect on January 1st, 1863) and we know that the Civil War had ended in April of 1865, it took a while for freedom to make its way to the western most rebelling state. Although there were enslavers who were aware of the implementation of the Emancipation Proclamation, it wasn't until June 19th, 1865 that it was actually enforced with the Union Army. June 19th freed enslaved people in the rebelling states, it did not free enslaved people throughout the nation.

Keep in mind, there were still border states which were still part of the Union. They had not seceded from the Union, and they still maintained slavery. Maryland, for example, was one of them. It took the creation of the Emancipation Proclamation, the end of the Civil War, and the passage of the 13th Amendment to finally end slavery throughout the nation. The Reconstruction Amendments are significant as they came into being after the end of the Civil War. They include the 13th Amendment that ended slavery; the 14th Amendment provides citizenship, due process and equal protection; and the 15th Amendment provides the opportunity to vote and hold office.

Angela Tate, Curator of African American Women's History

Juneteenth does have its roots in that specific moment, but I also see similarities to emancipation celebrations across the African diaspora and across the nation.

From this post-Civil War period--and well into the early 20th century--there were several commemorative events around emancipation, not just in Texas. Other states have emancipation days, such as Mississippi on May 8th, Florida on May 20th, Washington D.C. on April 16th, Kentucky on August 8th, and Maryland on November 1st. The Emancipation Proclamation Exposition in October 1913, was created by W.E.B. Du Bois and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to serve the purpose of racial uplift and to celebrate Black progress over the fifty years between 1863 and 1913. It involved not just traditional entertainment, but also speeches, pageants, and poetry recitations, as well as discussions about contemporary events and lynching. There has always been an impulse amongst African Americans to commemorate freedom and to think of themselves as connected to diasporic celebrations of freedom, such as the Emancipation days in Martinique Jamaica, Barbados, and the Bahamas, and other nations in the Caribbean.

When I think about Juneteenth, I think less about it being a specifically American, but how it connects African American thoughts about freedom and emancipation to the same notions across the African diaspora. There is this impulse towards commemorating, celebrating, and remembering freedom. African Americans have always used these moments of memory to think about where the community has come from and what we're pursuing and striving towards, as well as taking the time to pass down history and culture.

Juneteenth is a time to reflect. What does it mean to really celebrate our freedom? What does it mean to be free in moments where freedom is conditional, and freedom is always a challenge? Juneteenth is a moment to think about freedom being conditional freedom and it is something that we must continuously strive and fight for.

Kelly E. Navies, Museum Specialist of Oral History

I like to think of Juneteenth as a celebration of freedom, of family, and of joy that emerged from this cauldron of the war. After hundreds of years of enslavement, and the intense post-Civil War era, all of these emotions and feelings had built up to a particular point. Then, General Granger arrives with his troops (some of whom were members of the United States Colored troops) to announce that they will enforce the Emancipation Proclamation.

We know this wasn't news to these enslaved people. There were channels through which they had heard about the Emancipation Proclamation, but there was nothing that they could do without the Union troops to enforce it. So, now they're able to enjoy this moment and recognize what they've come through. It was such a difficult time, but there was a refusal to be held down by the past and a determination to move forward.

Even though they were confronted with the challenges of racism and oppression from the very moment that freedom was announced, they still decided, 'we need to buy land, because we need a space to celebrate this freedom.' As soon as that very following year you see the emergence of Emancipation parks all throughout the country. It starts in Houston, but you find them in different cities throughout the country. We chose this moment to savor, to see where we've come from, to chart where we were going to go, and to relish the strength of our families and communities.

Juneteenth has evolved over the years to mirror shifts in our struggle. Sometimes it wanes, but it reemerges. After World War II, we have this new sense of pride and the Great Migration started to carry Juneteenth throughout the United States. You see it come up again during the Civil Rights movement of the late 60s and into Solidarity Day at the Poor People's Campaign here in Washington D.C. in 1968.

Fifty years ago, and from that moment, Solidarity Day (on June 19th, 1968), you saw activists bring it back to their communities where it developed a whole new grassroots identity. That's around the time that my family started celebrating it. Even though my family and I didn't have ties to Texas, my activist father brought it with us from Detroit to California. We don't celebrate July 4th, we celebrate Juneteenth.

At its very core, Juneteenth is this affirmation that we are here, and we will continue to be here. We will continue to struggle in the face of many challenges.

Conclusion

Our museum experts will continue their conversation in the second post of this three-part series, which will explore the identities of the people who celebrate the holiday as well as the cultural and historical significance they place upon the date. If you are interested in learning more about the holiday and how you can bring Juneteenth celebrations into your own home and community, please visit our Juneteenth portal.

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Frederick Douglass once famously asked, " What to a slave is the Fourth of July?" To honor the anniversary of the freedom granted to those enslaved African Americans, we've pondered a similar question, "What is the significance of Juneteenth to the Black community?"

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Rochelle Rice sings "Lift Every Voice and Sing", a rendition of the Negro National Anthem (4:27)

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Rochelle Rice sings "Lift Every Voice and Sing", a rendition of the Negro National Anthem (4:27)

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A rendition of the Negro National Anthem, "Lift Every Voice and Sing"

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NMAAHC Oral History Specialist Kelly Navies talks about the history of Juneteenth (23:01)

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NMAAHC Oral History Specialist Kelly Navies talks about the history of Juneteenth (23:01)

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Freedom Calling: Interactive Tour of NMAAHC Slavery and Freedom Exhibit (36:40)

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Freedom Calling: Interactive Tour of NMAAHC Slavery and Freedom Exhibit (36:40)

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National Museum of African American History and Culture

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Juneteenth marks our country's second independence day. Though it has long been celebrated among the African American community, it is a history that has been marginalized and still remains largely unknown to the wider public. The legacy of Juneteenth shows the value of deep hope and urgent organizing in uncertain times. This Museum is a community space where that spirit can continue to live on - where histories like this one can surface, and new stories with equal urgency can be told.

Watch the video as the Museum's Founding Director Lonnie Bunch III leads a tour through our Slavery and Freedom exhibition to celebrate #Juneteenth, highlighting stories behind some of our most popular objects, including Nat Turner's bible, freedom papers of free African Americans and a Sibley tent that housed African Americans who ran from Southern plantations in search of freedom with the Union army.

Learn more about the historical legacy of Juneteenth and explore more objects related to emancipation in our collection.
Go to Juneteenth Page

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Juneteenth marks our country's second independence day. Though it has long been celebrated among the African American community, it is a history that has been marginalized and still remains largely unknown to the wider public. The legacy of Juneteenth shows the value of deep hope and urgent organizing in uncertain times.

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Why is Juneteenth Important for America (3:32)

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Why is Juneteenth Important for America (3:32)

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This Is Why Juneteenth Is Important for America

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The history of Juneteenth acknowledges hard history while also empowering students to be advocates for change.

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The other night during story time with my preschooler, I read Floyd Cooper's Juneteenth for Mazie. The book is a bit too advanced for a 3-year-old, but she was fascinated by the illustrations nonetheless. Reading this book got me thinking about Juneteenth and what I learned about it, including when I learned about it: It wasn't in school. How fantastic that there are books on the subject out there for young readers-but what about the kids whose parents aren't choosing those books?

I have found that many people, including many adults, don't know about Juneteenth at all. The name combines the words June and nineteenth, the day in 1865 when enslaved Texans in Galveston were informed that slavery was over. This anniversary is celebrated in many communities across the United States, but clearly this day deserves more attention. The emancipation story most people in the United States learn centers around President AbrahamLincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, which only freed enslaved people as Union troops occupied parts of the South later in the Civil War. (Constitutionally speaking, the 13th Amendment abolished slavery.) Learning the history of Juneteenth can help illustrate the complexity of this time in our history.

On that summer day in 1865-a full two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation and over two months after General Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox-Major General Gordon Granger, commander of the U.S. Army's Department of Texas, delivered the news to perhaps the very last enslaved people to learn they were free. After reading from General Order Number 3 that "all slaves are free," Major General Granger continued, "This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor."

Absolute equality. While a few million enslaved folks had learned at various times over the previous couple of years that they were free-and no doubt rejoiced at the news-this day was different. As the last to learn of their absolute equality with their former masters, these enslaved men, women and children were major characters in the end of one story filled with longstanding oppression and the beginning of a powerful new story filled with the hope for equality. This watershed moment, between the two stories, has been missing from our collective understanding of this country's history and presents a fuller picture of freedom. It's no wonder that these newly freed people met the announcement with cheers, shouts and celebrations-celebrations that have continued every year since.

Yet, as we all know, the promise of absolute equality was not realized with emancipation and remains elusive; oppression lingers in many of our institutions. But Juneteenth was and still is worthy of celebration and remembrance. Through children's books, through the annual celebrations that began with formerly enslaved Texans and through our classroom teaching, we should all have Juneteenth on our radar. It should be part of our collective knowledge of freedom struggles in this country so that today's youth can continue the fight to ensure that the promise of absolute equality is realized.
Bell is a writer and associate editor for Teaching Tolerance.

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The other night during story time with my preschooler, I read Floyd Cooper's Juneteenth for Mazie. The book is a bit too advanced for a 3-year-old, but she was fascinated by the illustrations nonetheless. Reading this book got me thinking about Juneteenth and what I learned about it, including when I learned about it: It wasn't in school.