Juneteenth celebrates African American Emancipation. With the following words, General Granger informed the people of Galveston that all slaves had been liberated on June 19, 1865.

“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.”

Celebrations following the declaration led to an annual acknowledgement and celebration of freedom to African Americans. Celebrations, today, take place around the United States and throughout the rest of the world.

In honor of Juneteenth, we have listed the books specifically about Juneteenth in our collection for a range of reading levels both in fiction and non-fiction.

For more information on Juneteenth: https://www.juneteenth.com/

Juvenile Fiction

JUNETEENTH FOR MAZIE by Floyd CooperKindergarten – Grade 3 DB 105650
FREEDOM’S GIFTS: A JUNETEENTH STORY by Valerie Wilson Wesley Grade 3 – Grade 6 DBC 04831
OSCEOLA: MEMORIES OF A SHARECROPPER’S DAUGHTER by Osceola Mays Grade 3 – Grade 6 DB 50524

Juvenile Non-fiction

OPAL LEE AND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE FREE: THE TRUE STORY OF THE GRANDMOTHER OF JUNETEENTH by Alice Faye Duncan Kindergarten – Grade 3 DBC 26479
JUNETEENTH by Vaunda Micheaux NelsonGrade 2 – Grade 4 DBC 10089

Adult Fiction

JUNETEENTH by Ralph Ellison DB 48438; BR 12277

Adult Nonfiction

ON JUNETEENTH by Annette Gordon-Reed DB 103364
FOUR HUNDRED SOULS: A COMMUNITY HISTORY OF AFRICAN AMERICA, 1619-2019 DB 102425, BR 23615, LB 13468