Juneteenth is a time for family and friends to gather with delicious food, good music and happiness in celebration of Freedom Day. Juneteenth is the commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States after the Civil War. It has been a federal holiday since June 17, 2021, and is celebrated annually on June 19.
The African American Alliance of Palm Beach County Library System represented the library at the Juneteenth PBC Annual Juneteenth Unity x Black Excellence Festival. We interacted with over 1,000 families at the festival. We signed up new library card members, handed out Juneteenth-inspired coloring sheets and crafts for the children and we even had books available for checkout.
Learn more about Juneteenth with our Junteenth Jubilee booklist!
On June 19th we commemorate the day in 1865 when 250,000 enslaved African Americans in the state of Texas were declared free by the U.S. Army. This date marked the official end of enslavement. The Emancipation Proclamation was issued in 1863 but was not enacted in Texas until two years later. Explore these titles to learn about the stories & traditions behind Juneteenth, the spirit of freedom and heroic individuals who made liberation possible.
