Tuesday, June 6, 2023
The Juneteenth holiday began on June 19, 1865, when "some 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas. The army announced that the more than 250,000 enslaved black people in the state, were free by executive decree. This day came to be known as 'Juneteenth' by the newly freed people in Texas."
Juneteenth is our most recently declared federal holiday, and while most schools in Wisconsin will already be out of the classroom for the summer, it nonetheless deserves our attention, study, and to be added to school curricula. Here's a quick resource guide to get to know the holiday, to deepen your knowledge, and to honor the history of Juneteenth.
Reading
- What Is Juneteenth? – Delve into the history of the holiday with this article from Henry Louis Gates Jr.
- Learn About and Celebrate Juneteenth a wonderful multimedia resource from PBS.
- This is Why Juneteenth is Important for America video from The Root.
- Five myths about Juneteenth - via The Washington Post.
How to Celebrate Juneteenth
- Learn about Juneteenth and find ways to honor the celebration without doing harm.
- Learn more about the foods of Juneteenth and their historic roots.
Books
- 28 Children’s Books Celebrating Juneteenth — From the Colours of Us, books for kids ages five to 18.
- 10 Books to Celebrate Juneteenth No Matter Your Age - via Black & Bookish.
Teaching Resources
- Juneteenth – Lesson plans and teaching strategies from Teaching Tolerance for grades six through eight.