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Books That Take You There: Emancipation Day

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 In a few months we will be celebrating a lesser known holiday that is recognized in the United States as June 19th, or Juneteenth. This holiday commemorates the day that slavery ended in the United States. It is also called, “Independence Day," “Freedom Day” or “Emancipation Day.” To help you learn more about this important holiday we have a list of books you can read.

So Many Years: A Juneteenth Story
Written by Anne Wynter
Illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey
New York: Clarion Books, 2025. Informational.

A picture book that explains the history behind the Juneteenth celebrations and how it became a national holiday in 2021. Beautiful illustrations along with the lyrics of, "Lift Every Voice and Sing," explain the history of what Juneteenth honors and how it has been celebrated through the years. The story goes back and forth in time showing images of enslaved people along with modern-day pictures of Juneteenth parades and celebrations. 

A great book to help teach why Juneteenth is a cause for celebration.

Juneteenth Is
Written by Natasha Tripplett
Illustrated by Daniel J. O'Brien
San Francisco, CA: Chrionicle Books, 2024. Picture Book.

A young girl thinks about what Juneteenth means to her family and her community because community and family is the heart of the Juneteenth celebrations. When this family comes together to celebrate they are honoring their heritage as they share stories and their cultural pride.

They Built Me For Freedom
Written by Tonya Duncan Ellis
Illustrated by Jenin Mohammed
New York: Balzer + Bray, 2024. Informational.

Did you know that there is an Emancipation Park in Houston, Texas? In this picture book, the history behind the Emancipation Park which was built for freedom, is explained. The story goes back to when the enslaved people of Texas finally learned about President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. They got together and built a park to give them a place to celebrate, have picnics, play games and more. Recently the people in this community restored the park, so that once again it can be a place for everyone to gather and celebrate the freedom of their ancestors. 

The Juneteenth Alphabet
Written by Andrea Underwood Petifer
Illustrated by Ana Latese
Naperville, IL: Duopress, 2025. Informational.

There is a lot of history behind Juneteenth and in this simple alphabet book kids can learn about Juneteenth. Colorful illustrations and text combine nicely to help introduce young readers to the different cultures of everyone who celebrates this national holiday.

Juneteenth Celebrates Freedom
Written by Myra Faye Turner
Illustrated by Jenai Markia
North Mankato, MN: Capstone Press, 2024. Comics.

In 1863 President Abraham Lincoln gave the Emancipation Proclamation, which stated that all enslaved people were legally free. However, this good news took two years to travel all the way down to Texas. It wasn't until June 19, 1865 that the people in Galveston, Texas finally heard about the proclamation. Over time Juneteenth has evolved into a federal holiday which celebrates one of the greatest moments in history. 




















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