What is Juneteenth? Why is it memorable?

Juneteenth is a belated celebration of the Emancipation Proclamation that President Lincoln signed into law on January 1, 1863 following the War Between the States, also called the Civil War. Even though the slaves had technically been freed on that day, the news didn’t reach everyone at the same time, so life continued as usual in many places and slaves were still enslaved. It wasn’t until more than two years later when General Granger brought the news to Galveston, Texas and read the news aloud to everyone on June 19, 1865 that freedom for slaves in Texas became a reality. Because this was such an historic day, former slaves all over America have created their own special holiday which they named Juneteenth.

I first became aware of this holiday as I served as a librarian in a predominately African American elementary school. As I retired in 2009, I must confess that I can’t recall the title of the specific book that enlightened me about Juneteenth, and it may have been a video instead of a book. A quick online search led me to a promising link that includes four books which focus on this holiday: Juneteenth Children’s Books for 2022 by Jodi Durgan.

I do remember several books and one particular video that stand out in my mind as exceptional in relating stories of the Underground Railroad. A folksong, Follow the Drinking Gourd, is featured in several of them. I showed this outstanding video, Follow the Drinking Gourd: a Story of the Underground Railroad, to many classes, and was happy to find it online to share with you.

Jeanette Winter has also written an excellent book, Follow the Drinking Gourd, that describes the legend of how Peg Leg Joe led slaves to freedom.

Peg Leg Joe may be known only through oral history and the folk song he was credited with having taught the slaves. But another well known hero to African Americans is well documented. Many books have been written about Harriet Tubman who successfully escaped to freedom. Then returned to help as many as 300 slaves find their way to freedom. The fictionalized book, Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom, relates what it must have been like through her daring escapes and rescues. This book powerfully describes Harriet Tubman as a spiritual giant whose courage was strengthened by her faith in God.

Another favorite picture book of mine about the Underground Railroad is Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt by Deborah Hopkinson. This is a story of a young slave girl who learned to sew in the “big house.” She used her sewing skills as well as her listening skills to create a quilt that could serve as a map to show people the way to follow the Underground Railroad and escape to freedom. By the time she had completed her quilt, she and Young Jack made their daring escape leaving the quilt behind so others could benefit and learn the escape route.

Even after the Emancipation Proclamation and Juneteenth, it continues to take more than changing laws for people to be fully free as many African Americans have learned. Until people’s hearts are changed, there will still be hardship and conflict. A revealing children’s book, When Marian Sang: The True Recital of Marian Anderson, The Voice of a Century, by Pam Munoz Ryan, describes this in a powerful way as it tells the story of Marian Anderson and her struggle to be recognized by those who opposed her progress, and how her amazing voice eventually broke through all barriers.

Uncle Jed’s Barbershop by Margaree King Mitchell tells the story of a black barber with a dream of one day purchasing his own barber shop. Until that time, he rode his horse to the homes of his customers all across the county and cut their hair. Setbacks came including the sickness of his granddaughter followed by the Great Depression, but Uncle Jed never gave up on his dream.

Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Martin Luther King, Jr is a picture book biography of the dynamic civil rights leader Martin Luther King. It begins with his childhood memories and continues through his rise to leadership through his ministry when he gained a great following. He is especially remembered for his “I have a dream” speech.

Many more books have been written that display the courage, faith, and character of the people who have had to pull themselves up by their bootstraps, and they deserve to be read and shared. This short article can in no way include them all.

Nancy I. Sanders, one of the authors who shares many posts on this blog, has written a wonderful alphabet history of the African Americans in D is for Drinking Gourd: An African American Alphabet. This book is like two books in one. There is the easy to read text in rhyme featuring each letter with it’s connection with African American history, and there are the side panels which give much more detail to more fully describe the history. This book shows how African Americans have contributed and pulled their share on so many fronts from east to west and from the American Revolution up until today. It covers many aspects of their accomplishments as well, through the arts, political involvement, education, and faith.

Post by Janice D. Green

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