Juneteenth, which represents June 19th, 1865, is a day celebrated in the Black community to acknowledge when the last US slaves (in Galveston, Texas) were released as free men and women. It’s also known as Freedom Day, and because Black people were still being bought and sold during the birth of America’s “Independence Day,” Juneteenth is our true 4th of July.
In school, we learn about President Lincoln signing the emancipation proclamation on January 1, 1863, declaring all slaves be freed. But it wasn’t until June 19th of 1865 that the news made it all the way to the last group of slaves still being held. Two and a half years later!
“With all the fuss around Critical Race Theory, nobody is really discussing the fact that history has never been properly taught in schools and much of Black history is purposely withheld or whitewashed, which is why Juneteenth wasn't on many people's radar until last Summer. That includes many Black people,” Yolanda Williams, founder of Parenting Decolonized, tells Romper.
Unfortunately, my history teachers didn’t teach me about Juneteenth either. And, if it isn’t passed down in Black families, it’s usually forgotten. But our kids should know!
“Celebrating Juneteenth with your children honors the enslaved whose shoulders we stand on. It honors their lives and their never-ending hope that one day we might all be free. Children need to understand this history, and we need to discuss it with them without shame and with great care, allowing them to ask questions and celebrate the day slavery ended in this country," Williams says.
And thankfully, there are many children’s books that fill the gap left in curriculums and help with this conversation. These authors explain Juneteenth in a way for children to understand historical facts and the reason Black people proudly create festivities to observe the day we were all emancipated.
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A Book About A Child Celebrating Juneteenth
Mazie has such pure joy at being able to celebrate Juneteenth. Kids get to share in her excitement at honoring this day and feel just as happy with this sweet picture book Juneteenth for Mazie.
The Story of Juneteenth
Slavery lasted for hundreds of years in the US. This story, Juneteenth, lets kids reflect on what it meant in Texas when the last slaves found out they were free.
A Book About An Enslaved Texas Family
While other books are a look back, Come Juneteenth allows kids to step inside the four walls of an enslaved family as they live out Juneteenth. They live on a Texas plantation during the civil war and are a part of the last to be freed.
An Interactive History Book
OK, I want this! This interactive book, The History of Juneteenth, is full of adventures that allow your kids to experience a glimpse of what life was like for Black people after the emancipation proclamation was signed — experiences like finding family members that had been sold, and choosing jobs.
Juneteenth Learning Game
I Spy is an old-school game that we still use today, and this book, I Can Spy Juneteenth, uses that game to teach kids images and symbols that are importantly related to Juneteenth. It also includes government emblems.
A Book About A Girls Experience
Can you imagine what that first Juneteenth was like? Your kids get to see it through the eyes of a little girl and also learn about other important historical dates surrounding that time in All Different Now.
A Celebration Of Freedom Day
This story, Juneteenth Jamboree, is about a girl named Cassie who moves to Texas and doesn’t instantly fall in love with it. But when her family surprises her with the traditional Juneteenth celebration in Texas, it starts to mean more to her to live there than she could have hoped.
A Big Activity Book
Anything with the word “ultimate” in it sounds full of awesome, and this Juneteenth activity book lives up to that expectation. The 28-page book is packed with historical facts and figures of speech, and lets kids create poetry, sketches, design a flag, and a whole lot more.
Juneteenth Sketchbook
If your child likes to draw, this sketchbook, Young, Black and Free-ish Since 1865, is the perfect place for them to create empowering images of Black culture, freedom, and fun Juneteenth celebration pictures.
Kids Juneteenth Activity Book
This activity book, Freedom Day, gives your kids fun projects while they are learning the history of Juneteenth. They can color, answer questions, learn new words, and more. And there are 42 pages for them to enjoy!
A Juneteenth True Story
Opal Lee and What it Means to be Free is the true story of a little girl who loved celebrating Juneteenth with her family and the freedom it stood for. But when angry racists burned down her home, she decided to spend the rest of her life fighting for true freedom and equality. This is a great example of why a Juneteenth slogan is “Free-ish since 1865.”
Juneteenth Gift
My kids like to write down all the facts they learn. They call them “Fact Books.” This notebook, Black History Didn’t Start With Slavery, is a great way to encourage your child to note all the new things they learn about the history of slavery in America, and even their thoughts and feelings about it.
A Freedom Book
Author Kelisa Wing is an educator and advocate. In her book, Juneteenth, she encourages children to learn all the facts about history and slavery in an age-appropriate way.
A Sweet Children’s Story
If you are looking for a way to explain slavery and Juneteenth in a way that your kids can grasp, this book, Juneteenth: A Children’s Story, is a great choice. It’s made to be easily understandable!
A Juneteenth Picture Book
If you have a new reader, this picture book, Juneteenth, has easy sentences, and is a good way to introduce them to learning about Juneteenth. The images are of real-life people celebrating this holiday, making it feel even more relatable and understandable.
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