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Essential Reading: Celebrating Juneteenth

Black writers on the history and traditions of America’s newest national holiday and why it has always been one of the most important days on the calendar.

Pocket Editors

Read when you’ve got time to spare.

Juneteenth, which celebrates the end of slavery in the United States, officially became a federal holiday in 2021 after President Biden signed a bill passed overwhelmingly by both houses of Congress. It commemorates June 19, 1865, when, more than a month after the last battle of the Civil War, Union soldiers brought news to enslaved people in Galveston, Texas that they were emancipated. The date has been celebrated by Black Americans ever since, first in Texas and eventually throughout the United States.

Read on to learn more about the history, traditions, and meaning of Juneteenth.

Opal Lee, Fort Worth’s ‘Grandmother of Juneteenth,’ Is Still Marching at 96

She led the movement to gain federal recognition of the holiday. This June 19, she’ll again walk 2.5 miles, marking the 2.5 years it took for news of the Emancipation Proclamation to reach Texas.

Juneteenth Is a Holiday for All Americans. It’s Our Second Independence Day.

Juneteenth must be a national and inclusive holiday with a narrative to match.

As Juneteenth Goes National, We Must Preserve the Local

The holiday has long flourished in local spaces of Black life in America.

Growing Up with Juneteenth

How a Texan holiday became a national tradition.

The Juneteenth Flag, Explained

The flag’s designer shares the story and inspiration for his design.

Freedom Is a Horse

For Juneteenth, a celebration of the liberation and escape that Black Americans found on horses.

Why Juneteenth Matters

It was black Americans who delivered on Lincoln’s promise of “a new birth of freedom.”

A Supersized List of Juneteenth Books for the Entire Family

Colorful children’s picture books, gripping historical fiction and more are on our must-read list this Juneteenth.

Juneteenth in Lubbock, Texas, Was When Our Men Came Out of the Shadows

Women were long in charge of our family celebrations. But in 1984, a group of men stepped up to organize the community and recover the early traditions.

Black Joy—Not Corporate Acknowledgment—Is the Heart of Juneteenth

Companies and governments are finally recognizing Emancipation Day as an official holiday, but black Americans have honored its significance all along.

The Story of Katie Darling and the Complex Jubilation of Juneteenth

More than a declaration, Juneteenth was a day that America’s dishonesty unraveled.

Early Photographs of Juneteenth Celebrations

Communal barbecues, concerts, prayer services, parades, as well as baseball games, fishing, and rodeos, all featured in the festivities.

8 Joyful, Delicious Menus Featuring Black Culinary Creators in Honor of Juneteenth

The red foods traditionally served at Juneteenth celebrations symbolize sacrifice, fortitude, and power. They are also indicative of the food traditions Africans brought with them from their homeland and how those traditions evolved in America.