Since the late 1800s, African Americans have celebrated Juneteenth, a commemoration of June 19, 1865, when enslaved African Americans in Texas received word of their freedom – two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, an executive order declaring the end of slavery.
Suggested Reading
Now that Juneteenth is a federal holiday, families across the country have more time to reflect and celebrate together. Reading a good book is one of the best ways to learn more about the history of Juneteenth and honor the significance of the day. In honor of the 160th anniversary of this important moment in Black history, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite books that should be on your required reading list this Juneteenth.
"Defiant: The Story of Robert Smalls" by Rob Edwards
"Defiant: The Story of Robert Smalls" is a new graphic novel that tells the inspiring true story of an enslaved man who took over a Confederate ship he worked on, got past several military checkpoints and sailed to freedom with other slaves. As if this story wasn't amazing enough, Smalls became a congressman after the Civil War.
"Harriet Tubman: From Her Roots in Ghana to Her Legacy on The Eastern Shore" by Rita Daniels and Jean Marie Wiesen
Rita Daniels, Harriet Tubman's great-great-great grandniece and the President and Founder of the Harriet Tubman Learning Center, is co-author of "Harriet Tubman: Military Scout and Tenacious Visionary: From Her Roots in Ghana to Her Legacy on the Eastern Shore," which tells the story of one of the most important figures in Black history. But this isn't any biography, this well-researched book fills in the gaps, corrects misinformation, and shares little known facts about a true American hero.
“Libertie: A Novel” by Kaitlyn Greenridge
Named one of the TIME 100 Must-Read Books of 2021, “Libertie” is a beautiful story set in Reconstruction-era Brooklyn about a young Black woman’s quest to find a place where she can be herself. Author Roxanne Gay called it, “An elegantly layered, beautifully rendered tour de force that is not to be missed.”
“High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey From Africa to America” by Jessica B. Harris
In “High on the Hog,” cookbook author and James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Jessica B. Harris breaks down the history of African American cuisine in a delicious way.
“What is Juneteenth? by Kristi Jewel
From the bestselling Who HQ series, “What is Juneteenth?” breaks down Juneteenth and its importance to Black history as a celebration of the end of slavery in the United States. Illustrations and a 16-page photo insert help bring the story to life for readers ages 8 - 12.
“Jubilee” by Margaret Walker
In “Jubilee,” readers meet Vyry, the child of a white plantation owner and his Black mistress. Using research she conducted on her own family history, Margaret Walker creates a beautifully-written work of historical fiction.
“Lose Your Mother: A Journey Along the Atlantic Slave Route” by Saidiya Hartman
For “Lose Your Mother,” Saidiya Hartman traveled along a slave route in Ghana as she tried to reckon with the impact of slavery on Black history and the missing pieces of her own family history.
“How the Word is Passed” by Clint Smith
In “How the Word is Passed,” author Clint Smith takes readers on a tour of monuments and landmarks across the country as he explores the legacy of slavery in America.
“She Came to Slay: The Life and Times of Harriet Tubman” by Erica Armstrong Dunbar
If you don’t know why Harriet Tubman deserves to be on the $20 bill, “She Came to Slay” is the book for you. Erica Armstrong Dunbar’s book pays tribute to the woman who helped liberate slaves, was a staunch advocate for women’s voting rights and served as a spy in the union army. New photos, illustrations and a timeline of Tubman’s life, help show readers just how fierce Tubman really was.
“On Juneteenth” by Annette Gordon Reed
“On Juneteenth” is historian, Texas native and Pulitzer Prize-winner Annette Gordon-Reed’s look at the origins of this important day in Black history which is now celebrated as a federal holiday.
“Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts” by Rebecca Hall
For “Wake,” Rebecca Hall studied court records, slave ship captain’s logs and forensic evidence to uncover information on female warriors who led slave revolts on ships during the Middle Passage. She combines her research with her personal story as the granddaughter of slavery and the illustrations of Hugo Martinez in graphic novel/memoir that should be on your Juneteenth reading list.
“The ABCs of Black History” by Rio Cortez
A is for anthem. G is for Great Migration. H is for Zora Neale Hurston. “The ABCs of Black History” is a colorful children’s picture book that teaches kids ages two through seven about some of the most important people, places, and events in Black history.
“The History of Juneteenth: A History Book for New Readers” by Arlisha Norwood, PhD
“The History of Juneteenth” breaks down the story that led up to the celebration of the end of slavery in the United States for kids ages six through nine. Colorful illustrations and a timeline of key events will keep young readers engaged as they read about this important part of history. And if you want to make sure they learned from what they read, there’s a quiz that tests their Juneteenth knowledge at the end.
“Light for the World to See: A Thousand Words on Race and Hope” by Kwame Alexander
“Light for the World to See” is a collection of powerful poems about the history of racial injustice in this country written by NPR correspondent and bestselling author Kwame Alexander.
“A Black Woman’s History of the United States” by Daina Berry and Kali Gross
Part of the award-winning Revisioning American History series, “A Black Woman’s History of the United States,” showcases the undeniable impact Black women have had on our country despite a history of systemic racism and sexism.
“Stony the Road: Reconstruction, White Supremacy and the Rise of Jim Crow” by Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
In “Stony the Road,” Henry Louis Gates, Jr. looks at the period between Reconstruction and the rise of the Jim Crow, with a focus on the impact the rise of white supremacy had on the period after slavery.
“Barracoon” by Zora Neale Hurston
“Barracoon” is Zora Neale Hurston’s powerful conversation with 86-year-old Cujo Lewis, one of the last-known survivors of the Atlantic slave trade. Hurston writes about her 1927 trip to Plateau, Alabama, to hear Lewis’ first-hand account of his experience being captured in Africa and brought to America as a slave fifty years after slavery was outlawed in the United States.
“Conjure Women: A Novel” by Afia Atakora
“Conjure Women” is Afia Atakora’s beautiful multigenerational novel set on a Southern plantation with a timeline that alternates between the period before and after the Civil War. The story follows a well-respected midwife and woman with healing powers and her daughter who is reluctant to follow in her footsteps.
“The Night Before Freedom: A Juneteenth Story” by Glenda Armand
“The Night Before Freedom” is a picture book that tells the story of Juneteenth for young readers ages four through eight. With beautiful pictures and text written in the same meter as the classic "The Night Before Christmas," families will love reading and learning about this important day in Black history together.
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