Celebrating Juneteenth

By Coll Rowe | June 4 2024 | English Language ArtsSocial Studies & History

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.

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


9780593384695
Discover more about Juneteenth, the important holiday that celebrates the end of chattel slavery in the United States.
$7.99 US
Apr 05, 2022
Paperback
112 Pages
Penguin Workshop

9780593568149
This inspiring Little Golden Book tells the story of one young boy's first experience celebrating Juneteenth.
$5.99 US
May 02, 2023
Hardcover
24 Pages
Golden Books

9780823452248
Expert quilter Kim Taylor shares a unique and powerful story of the celebration of the first Juneteenth, from the perspective of a young girl.
$18.99 US
Jan 03, 2023
Hardcover
40 Pages
Neal Porter Books

9780593324202
From an award-winning author and illustrator comes this picture book biography about beloved librarian and storyteller Augusta Braxton Baker, the first Black coordinator of children’s services at all branches of the New York Public Library.
$18.99 US
Feb 06, 2024
Hardcover
40 Pages
Dial Books

A Juneteenth Story
9780593567463
This moving picture book tells the story of Juneteenth with all the care and reverence such a holiday deserves. The rhyming text and stunning illustrations will teach children about this historic day in history.
$18.99 US
May 02, 2023
Hardcover
40 Pages
Crown Books for Young Readers