Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. It commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce the freedom of the more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in Texas. The newly freed Black Americans observed Juneteenth as a celebration of freedom and its fulfillment. Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Jubilee Day, is marked by celebrations, family gatherings, picnics, and readings of the Emancipation Proclamation as a measure of progress against freedom. As Juneteenth is an occasion for reflection and education, we celebrate the end of slavery in America and acknowledge the profound contributions of Black people to American history and culture. We are amplifying stories that highlight Black history, Black excellence, and Black joy, not to disregard the realities of racism and injustice but to engage with the Black experience in America in a way that is full, balanced, and truthful. (From Penguin Random House)
Black Life in America from NewsBank provides primary sources from US papers dated 1690 to present. Features a timeline/topic-based interface, complete editions of the paper including illustrations, advertisements, cartoons and more. Search this database by era, date range, or map/location. Suggested searches guide researchers to important concepts like laws & legislation, notable people, literature & the arts, activist groups, science & technology, and much more.
Focus on the Civil War and Reconstruction eras for information on the Emancipation Proclamation, the 13th amendment, and Black soldiers fighting for the Union army.
Do a keyword search for "Juneteenth" to find thousands of mentions in newspapers from around the world from 1863 to present.
Use FactCite's Milestone Documents to view primary sources for popular topics in American history! Browse by topics, such as Slavery, Civil War, Reconstruction, or Civil Rights. Or, search the term "emancipation" for the original Emancipation Proclamation, essays on emancipation, speeches on abolition, the 13th amendment, and many more.
Primary sources include at least an overview and a typed version of the text on the primary source. Many sources also include additional context, information about the author(s), an analysis of the document, discussion of the audience and the impact of the document, study questions, a glossary, citations for further research, and a fun "Find Similar Articles" button.
PebbleGo Social Studies features 150 articles that introduce young researchers to the world around them. Leveled text, educational games, lesson plans and videos support educational research concepts for your youngest researchers.
From the home screen, select Social Studies --> Holidays --> Juneteenth
This module contains an introduction to Juneteenth, a brief history on slavery and its end in the US, and how Juneteenth is and was celebrated in the US. Includes an additional article and activity.
From the homepage, search "Juneteenth" to find an article in 2 reading levels, a short video, related articles, and teacher resources.
Read an article at 3 different reading levels, see images of celebrations and illustrations, and browse primary sources like the Emancipation Proclamation.
Includes an article at 3 reading levels, images, videos, primary sources, and links to related topics.
From the homepage, click Social Studies --> World Holidays --> Juneteenth or click the Browse Topics icon to see a list of subjects in alphabetical order:
The topic guide contains a reading, 3 quick facts, pictures, selected book articles, magazine articles, and news articles.
Each indicates the reading level through the number of dots.
Click the Browse Topics icon to see a list of subjects in alphabetical order:
The topic guide contains a reading, and a wide range of other resources like biographies, magazine and news articles, videos, audio and images. Listen to Morning Edition discuss the newest federal holiday, read about the activist who campaigned for Juneteenth to become a holiday, Opal Lee, and see photos of celebrations across the country.
Click the Browse Topics icon to see a list of subjects in alphabetical order:
The topic guide contains a reading, and thousands of resources like biographies; magazine, news, and journal articles; videos; audio; essays; and images. Listen to All Things Considered talk about Apple Music's Freedom Songs playlist, read about Ralph Waldo Ellison's unfinished novel Juneteenth,
or visit the Texas State Library and Archive's website for more resources and information.
