The Library will be CLOSED during the Juneteenth holiday, June 19.
Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of ending slavery in the United States.
Originating in Galveston, Texas, the observance of June 19th as the African American Emancipation Day has been celebrated since 1865, and has since spread across the United States.
The day was recognized as a federal holiday in 2021 when President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law. Juneteenth’s commemoration is on the anniversary date of the June 19, 1865 announcement of General Order No. 3 by Union Army General Gordon Granger, proclaiming freedom for enslaved people in Texas – two and a half years after Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, and two months after the Civil War ended.
During June, please visit and borrow from the displays on the second floor, or browse the selections below.
Juneteenth Teen Books
Juneteenth Adult Books
Juneteenth Children's Books
For More Information
- Congressional Research Service - Juneteenth Fact Sheets
- Learning for Justice - Juneteenth Observances Promote ‘Absolute Equality’
- National Archives - National Archives Safeguards Original ‘Juneteenth’ General Order
- National Museum of African American History & Culture
- National Museum of African American History & Culture Kids - Understanding & Celebrating Juneteenth (PDF)
- National Parks Service - Juneteenth: A Celebration of Freedom
- NPR - Slavery Didn't End On Juneteenth. What You Should Know About This Important Day
- Wikipedia
Learn More in the E-Library
- Ancestry Library Edition – Available in the Library during business hours, you can view census records, historical records, photos, stories, and maps.
- Digital books. magazines, and more are available to you in the e-library with the Libby, hoopla, and CloudLibrary apps.
- HeritageQuest – Includes all of the images and indexing from the 1790 – 1940 U.S. federal censuses. It features over 22,000 family and local histories in addition to 250 primary-source documents such as tax lists, city directories, probate records, and more.
- NewsBank – Search for local events and historic articles.