Celebrating Juneteenth

By Luis Diaz | June 14 2022 | General

Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. It commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce the freedom of the more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in Texas. The newly freed Black Americans observed Juneteenth as a celebration of freedom and its fulfillment. Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Jubilee Day, is marked by celebrations, family gatherings, picnics, and readings of the Emancipation Proclamation as a measure of progress against freedom.

As Juneteenth is an occasion for reflection and education, we celebrate the end of slavery in America and acknowledge the profound contributions of Black people to American history and culture. We are amplifying stories that highlight Black joy, not to disregard the realities of racism and injustice but to engage with the Black experience in America in a way that is full, balanced, and truthful.

Penguin Random House is donating 100% of net proceeds of Juneteenth sales on PRH.com (up to $30K total) to a fund benefitting Black-owned Bookstores and The Innocence Project, which aims to “free the innocent, prevent wrongful convictions, and create fair, compassionate, and equitable systems of justice for everyone.”

Click on each collection below to browse books by Black creators that educate, empower, and inspire students in the classroom year-round.

FAMILY & CULTURE

SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING

JOYFUL READS

PICTURE BOOKS

HISTORY

EMPOWERMENT

SOCIAL JUSTICE

INSPIRATIONAL

9780593307359
The 1619 Project’s lyrical picture book in verse chronicles the consequences of slavery and the history of Black resistance in the United States, thoughtfully rendered by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones and Newbery honor-winning author Renée Watson.
$18.99 US
Nov 16, 2021
Hardcover
48 Pages
Kokila

9781580898997
Middle graders will laugh and cry with thirteen-year-old Vanessa Martin as she tries to be like Vanessa Williams, the first black Miss America.
$8.99 US
Mar 05, 2019
Paperback
304 Pages
Charlesbridge

A History of the Color as Deep as the Sea and as Wide as the Sky
9781984894366
Discover a world of creativity and tradition in this fascinating picture book that explores the history and cultural significance of the color blue. From a critically acclaimed author and an award-winning illustrator comes a vivid, gorgeous book for readers of all ages.
$18.99 US
Feb 15, 2022
Hardcover
40 Pages
Knopf Books for Young Readers

9780744049909
A West African story about the much-loved trickster, Anansi, retold and reimagined for a new generation by award-winning author Taiye Selasi
$16.99 US
Feb 15, 2022
Hardcover
32 Pages
DK Children

9780399545535
Jacqueline Woodson and Rafael López's highly anticipated companion to their #1 New York Times bestseller The Day You Begin illuminates the power in each of us to face challenges with confidence.
$18.99 US
Jan 04, 2022
Hardcover
32 Pages
Nancy Paulsen Books

17 Stories Celebrating Black Boyhood
9780593379936
Celebrate the joys of Black boyhood with stories from seventeen bestselling, critically acclaimed Black authors--including Jason Reynolds, Jerry Craft, and Kwame Mbalia! "Pick up Black Boy Joy for a heavy dose of happiness."—Booklist, starred review
$17.99 US
Aug 03, 2021
Hardcover
320 Pages
Delacorte Press

9780593326404
From NYT bestselling author Tracey Baptiste comes a singular picture book that is both a biography about Claudette Colvin, the teen whose activism launched the Montgomery bus boycott, and a celebration of collective action.
$18.99 US
Feb 01, 2022
Hardcover
32 Pages
Dial Books