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Ethnic & Women's Studies

Juneteenth

What is Juneteenth?

June 19th celebrates the announcement of the abolition of slavery in Texas by Major General Gordon Granger (two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation abolished slavery).  

Juneteenth is a day to celebrate the freedom and also to remember the genocide of enslaved Africans and African Americans.

Screenshot from What Is Juneteenth? Dulce Sloan Explains| The Daily Social Distancing Show (2020)

Original Juneteenth General Order 3

The U.S. National Archives holds the original 1865 handwritten order that informed those in Texas that all enslaved people were to be freed. 

Juneteenth becomes Federal Holiday

On June 17, 2021, President Biden signed into law a bill that recognizes Juneteenth as a federal holiday, Juneteenth National Independence Day.  The U.S. Senate unanimously passed the resolution while the House of Representatives approved legislation with only minor Republican dissent. 

CPP Library Book List

Resources

The Historical Legacy of Juneteenth - National Museum of African American History & Culture

What Is Juneteenth? - History.com

Why is Juneteenth Important? - Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

So You Want to Learn About Juneteenth? - New York Times (2021) 

This Is How We Juneteenth - New York Times (2021)

Library Articles

Video Resources

Miss Juneteenth

A former beauty queen and single mom prepares her rebellious teenage daughter for the "Miss Juneteenth" pageant.

Official Selection at the Sundance Film Festival and SXSW Film Festival.

Ralph Ellison: An American Journey is the first documentary on one of the most gifted and intellectually provocative authors of modern American literature. It establishes Ellison as a central figure in contemporary debates over art, politics, race and nationhood. Narrated by Andre Braugher, the film brilliantly presents the first scenes ever filmed from Ellison's landmark novel, Invisible Man.