Juneteenth: A Celebration of Freedom

by Charles A. Taylor

' A Celebration of Freedom' effectively conveys the jubilation that occurred on June 19, 1865 when African American people in Texas were the last to be freed from the horrors of U.S. slavery, a full two months after the end of the Civil War and more than two years after Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation . Dr. Taylor's 32-page book, full of colorful illustrations, archival photographs, and historical documents, makes the information about Juneteenth accessible for readers aged ten and up. Juneteenth is the oldest African American celebration in the United States and is quickly becoming one of the most popular holidays observed by Black Americans. Seven states (TX, OK, FL, DE, AK, ID, and IA) have already made Juneteenth a holiday--with more to come.

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1995

Reviews

[Alicia · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Juneteenth honors the saga of African people in the United States from slave ship to freedom." (pg. 23). Juneteenth: A Celebration of Freedom honors the history of the June 19, 1865 General Orders, No. 3 freeing slaves in the state of Texas (the last state to abolish slavery). Charles Taylor takes the reader on a brief journey through the history of slavery in the United States from the horrendous journeys on slave ships, the Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation, and eventually to freedom. Unfortunately the book focuses much of it's attention on the history of slavery, with little focus on the intended subject of the book, Juneteenth. While understanding the history of slavery is important in understanding the celebration of Juneteenth, this book seemed to treat the celebration as an afterthought.

Juneteenth: A Celebration of Freedom is intended for grades 5 through 8. As far as reading level and content the book is a good fit for it's intended audience, but it does not have the visual appeal that would grab the attention of most young readers. Because this books is fairly text heavy, the book seems best suited for students doing research for school projects.

[Darlena Glenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clear, easy to read, but a little challenging for age 8 and below. This is an important informational book about the end of slavery notification to the State of Texas on June 19, 1865. It is somewhat narrative and subjective at times, but overall I recommend this to elementary school children. It has a glossary of terms and a timeline as well as other exemplary text features.