Resources to Learn More about Juneteenth and Related Topics

COMMEMORATE JUNETEENTH!

The Origin of Juneteenth - National Independence Day

In Texas on June 19th, 1865, some of the last enslaved Black Americans were finally informed that they had been granted freedom by the federal government, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation and nearly three months after the surrender of Confederate forces in Virginia.

This year, there will be a local Juneteenth event on June 19 in Taylor Park with performers, a gumbo competition, local vendors and more!

Here are some learning resources for Juneteenth National Independence Day.

For Children:

• Kids’ Britannica – Juneteenth
• Sesame Street – Let’s Celebrate Juneteenth Song (video)
• Books to read (approximately ages 6-10)
• Juneteenth Jamboree by Carole Boston Weatherford
• Juneteenth for Mazie by Floyd Cooper
• The Juneteenth Story by Alliah Agostini

For Youth:

• Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) – History of Juneteenth
• Zinn Education Project – Juneteenth Emancipation Day
• The History Channel – Juneteenth: What You Need to Know (video)
• Teen Vogue – Juneteenth Celebration

For Adults:

• PBS – Juneteenth Becomes a National Holiday
• Medium – A Crash Course in Juneteenth
• The New Yorker – Growing up with Juneteenth by Annette Gordon-Reed (a Black Texan)
• National Museum of African American History & Culture – Juneteenth: A Celebration of Resilience

For Educators:

• Learning for Justice (formerly Teaching Tolerance) – Teaching Juneteenth
• Zinn Education Project – Juneteenth: Teaching Outside the Textbook

- These educational resources were compiled in 2022 by Eliana Castro, PhD, an emeritus member of the City's Belonging, Equity and Inclusion Committee.