06/19/2026
Happy Juneteenth! This day marks an important date in African American history: June 19th, 1865, when all remaining slaves in the westernmost Confederate state of Texas were declared free. This was two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation.
We encourage everyone to take this day to learn about the historical significance of Juneteenth, and a great way to do that is to read a book! We have several books in stock to help children understand why we celebrate Juneteenth, which became a federal holiday in 2021:
- The History of Juneteenth: A History Book for New Readers
- Celebrations & Festivals: Juneteenth
- Celebrate the World: Juneteenth
- The Juneteenth Alphabet
- They Built Me For Freedom: The Story of Juneteenth and Houston’s Emancipation Park
- Opal Lee and What it Means to be Free
Another great resource is the National Museum of African American History and Culture: nmaahc.si.edu