Juneteenth, a holiday commemorating the arrival of news of emancipation and freedom to enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas in 1865, became a federal holiday in 2021 after years of local celebration. To honor this year’s Juneteenth, The Conversation reached out to Wake Forest University humanities professor Corey D. B. Walker for a list of readings that can help people better understand the history and meaning of this observance. Below are recommendations for six books.
‘On Juneteenth’
Annette Gordon-Reed’s “On Juneteenth” combines history and memoir to provide a moving history of African American life and culture through the lens of Juneteenth. The Harvard historian offers an intimate look at her family’s experiences and her childhood memories growing up as an African American girl in segregated Texas. Reed’s essays invite readers to enter a world shaped by freedom and slavery, serving as a poignant reminder of the challenging history shared by all Americans.
‘O Freedom! Afro-American Emancipation Celebrations’
William H. Wiggins Jr.’s “O Freedom! Afro-American Emancipation Celebrations” is a historical standard for African American emancipation celebrations, offering a well-researched account of Juneteenth’s emergence and evolution. The book brings together oral history with archival research to explore how African Americans celebrated emancipation and how Juneteenth became a national celebration from its local roots.
‘Juneteenth’
Ralph Ellison’s novel “Juneteenth” delves into the multiple meanings of the holiday in African American and American life. Ellison’s posthumously published work captures the ambivalence of Juneteenth as a freedom delayed but not denied, weaving a compelling narrative of intertwined lives and the shared journey towards a just and equal society. The novel elegantly encapsulates the promise and peril of Juneteenth through its characters’ experiences.
‘Festivals of Freedom: Memory and Meaning in African American Emancipation Celebrations, 1808-1915’
Mitch Kachun’s book, “Festivals of Freedom,” traces the history of emancipation celebrations and their influence on African American identity and community. The book narrates the complex history of how Juneteenth and other freedom festivals shaped African American identity and political culture, highlighting the competing meanings of African American identity that emerged from these celebrations.
‘Rites of August First: Emancipation Day in the Black Atlantic World’
Howard University historian Jeffrey R. Kerr-Ritchie’s “Rites of August First” expands the focus to a broader history and geography of emancipation celebrations, exploring how various African American communities adopted and adapted West India Day celebrations to create meaning and culture in celebrating the abolition of slavery. The book dives into the movement of these celebrations across borders and boundaries, shedding light on the shared experiences of emancipation celebrations in the Black Atlantic world.
‘Juneteenth: The Story Behind the Celebration’
Edward T. Cotham Jr.’s “Juneteenth: The Story Behind the Celebration” reveals the military origins of Juneteenth, exploring the Civil War context leading up to the events of June 19, 1865 in Galveston. The book highlights the ordinary actions of many individuals in the history of Juneteenth, underscoring the quest for freedom shared by African Americans and all Americans through this historical lens.
