Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation on June 19, 1865 of the last slaves of the Confederacy. That day came two years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation when Union soldiers finally reached Galveston, Texas and proclaimed the slaves of Texas free.
This is a celebration for all Americans who love liberty and freedom. The annual commemoration is certainly noteworthy for black Americans, but it deserves note and celebration by all as a step towards the full promise of the United States. As a newly designated federal holiday, Juneteenth reminds us that change is often horribly difficult (our American predecessors fought a violent war over this issue) and takes the involvement of those closely involved (e.g. those suffering injustice) as well as others who have agency (e.g. union soldiers and abolitionists) to speak out and take action to advance the rights of all for such a change to occur.
The library has a number of books on Juneteenth as a topic itself, as well as classic and new books on the history of slavery in the United States and on the U.S. Civil War. Here are some suggestions…
