Caregivers Guide to Juneteenth

History

Juneteenth (a combination of “June” and “nineteenth”) 
commemorates the emancipation of African American slaves. 
On June 19, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger announced the end of the civil war and slavery when he arrived in Galveston, TX. Although the Emancipation Proclamation came two and a half years earlier, on January 1, 1863, many enslavers continued to hold enslaved Black people captive after the announcement.

The first Juneteenth in 1866 was celebrated with food, singing, 
and the reading of spirituals, and it commemorated newly 
freed Black people taking pride in their progress. Today 
Juneteenth commemorates African American freedom and 
emphasizes education and achievement. Juneteenth became 
a federal holiday in 2021.

Notable Individuals

Opal Lee: An American retired teacher, counselor, and activist in the movement to make Juneteenth a federally recognized holiday. She is often described as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth.”
Al Edwards: A civil rights activist and former Houston legislator who helped Texas become the first state in the country to make the abolition of slavery an official holiday. He is also known as the father of Juneteenth.
Rev. Jesse Jackson: A civil rights, religious, and political activist. He has played a pivotal role in virtually every movement for empowerment, peace, civil rights, gender equality, and economic and social justice.

Books

• Freedom, We Sing by Amyra Leon
• Opal Lee and What It Means to Be Free: The True Story of the 
  Grandmother of Juneteenth by Alice Faye Duncan 
• What is Juneteenth by Arlisha Norwood