In 1865, June 19th was dedicated to the celebration of the freedom of enslaved individuals in America. This holiday is called Juneteenth or Freedom Day and was advocated by Opal Lee, an educator, who felt that Juneteenth should be recognized federally. She decided to walk to Washington D.C. in protest and bring attention to the 2 ½ years that enslaved people in Texas did not know they were free after the Emancipation Proclamation. Opal Lee is considered the grandmother of Juneteenth and in 2021, this holiday was finally made into a federal holiday.
You may have the upcoming June 19th off. We recommend using this book list to better understand the holiday, the 2 ½ year gap before thousands of enslaved people found out they were free and the Black diaspora’s struggle for liberation in America. The Bookshop list for these books can be found here.
On Juneteenth by Annette Gordon-Reed
Pulitzer prize winning author and historian, Annette Gordon-Reed highlights the history of the United States history’s road to celebrating Juneteenth. Personal narratives from enslaved people, historical facts and a reframing of common American historical tropes make this book a powerful reminder of the large fight to have Juneteenth recognized for the historical significant event it is.
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Watermelon and Red Birds: A Cookbook for Juneteenth and Black Celebrations by Nicole A. Taylor
Juneteenth is heavily associated with cooking and gatherings of friends and family. This cookbook is considered the first to celebrate Juneteenth! Taylor celebrates the jubilation of this holiday and pulls from her years of celebrations. For further reading and listening on this, I would recommend NPR’s Code Switch episode, “A Taste of Freedom.”
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How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America by Clint Smith
Monuments, landmarks and historical locations exist around the United States that tell the story of enslaved people in the Americas. Smith’s book goes to these locations and examines which ones tell a historically accurate truth and which ones obscure the truth of America’s racist past.
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Opal Lee and What It Means to Be Free: The True Story of the Grandmother of Juneteenth by Alice Faye Duncan and Keturah A. Bobo
Learn the life story of Opal Lee, the woman who fought to make Juneteenth a federally recognized holiday. Help to honor Opal Lee’s legacy and her fight with this book for children ages 4 to 8.
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Barracoon: The Story of the Last Black Cargo by Zora Neale Hurston
In 1927, Zora Neale Hurston interviewed one of the last known survivors of the Atlantic slave trade named Cudjo Lewis. Cudjo tells his story of being abducted from Africa and being held in bondage almost 50 years after the slave trade was made illegal in America. I listened to the audiobook and followed along with the book as I listened because Hurston ensured the book captured Cudjo’s unique vernacular.
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Becoming Abolitionists: Police, Protests, and the Pursuit of Freedom by Derecka Purnell
Purnell’s book outlines the history of police violence around the world and builds a case to show that the police system cannot be reformed. Instead, we must focus on police abolition and cultivation of a community that is able to support and help each other through harm. Ultimately, police abolitionists want to address the concerns of our society that lead to institutional harm in the first place. This text helps to outline the arguments for police abolition and is a great read for anyone interested in learning more about the topic.
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How will you be celebrating Juneteenth this year? Let us know!
