Celebrate with Your Children African American Freedom from Enslavement on June 19th During Juneteenth

Even though it has not been recognized as a national federal holiday yet, Juneteenth is widely celebrated all over the United States. Its prominence, especially among African Americans, is based on their freedoms and achievements since June 19, 1865.

On that day, Major General Gordon Granger landed on the coast at Galveston, Texas and announced General Order #3 that the enslaved were free. Juneteenth was born, with the name derived from combining the month of June and the 19th day. It is reported that Texas had about 250,000 slaves at the time, since many slave owners from Confederate states had moved there. The Civil War had already ended but masters were still reluctant to free the enslaved.

In her essay Juneteenth: Emancipation and Memory, writer Elizabeth Hayes Turner describes what one heir to the Juneteenth celebration said:

The way it was explained to me, the 19th of June wasn’t the exact day the Negro was freed. But that’s the day they told them that they was free … And my daddy told me that they whooped and hollered and bored holes in trees with augers and stopped it up with [gun] powder and light and that would be their blast for the celebration.

Historian Henry Louis Gates, Jr. wrote a very informative article entitled What is Juneteenth? which is available at PBS’s website. The celebration started off slowly, declined, and then resurged during the Civil Rights movement. It has gained momentum over many years. 42 states and the District of Columbia now celebrate that day as a holiday and celebrations are held all over the world as well.

At the website, Juneteenth.com, founder Clifford Robinson states:

Juneteenth today, celebrates African American freedom and achievement, while encouraging continuous self-development and respect for all cultures. As it takes on a more national, symbolic and even global perspective, the events of 1865 in Texas are not forgotten, for all of the roots tie back to this fertile soil from which a national day of pride is growing.

There are many children’s books about Juneteenth and famous people in our history. Encourage your children to learn more about this important day.

Please visit the following links for more information:

Things to do With Your Children to Celebrate Black History Month

The month of February is designated as Black History Month or African-American History Month. It began as a week-long celebration declared by historian Carl B. Woodson and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History in 1926 for the week of February 12. In the April, 1926 edition of The Journal of Negro History, Woodson argued that the perpetual study of the Black race was critical for its survival and prominence:

“If a race has no history, it has no worthwhile tradition, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated. The American Indian left no continuous record. He did not appreciate the value of tradition; and where is he today? The Hebrew keenly appreciated the value of tradition, as is attested by the Bible itself. In spite of worldwide persecution, therefore, he is a great factor in our civilization.”

Initially, the celebration had little support. However, as years passed, it gained momentum, until ultimately in 1976, when President Gerald Ford gave the presidential stamp of approval for a month-long celebration. Today, a month is set aside annually to celebrate Black history not only in the United States but also in Canada, Ireland, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

As my blog is geared toward children and literacy, I would like to encourage parents, teachers and others to spend time helping children to learn more about Black history and all the accomplishments that African-Americans have made. There is quite a bit of information on the internet and specifically for children, I enjoy the Reading Rockets website because it has a variety of information to assist children in learning – from children’s books, events, television and internet programs to online guides and much more.

Please spend some time on the website to decide what you will plan and do with your children. Make a commitment to help your children grow in knowledge, understanding, and appreciation.

For more information, please CLICK HERE.