Juneteenth

June 19 - or Juneteenth - is a holiday that commemorates the official end of slavery in the United States.

You may recall from history class that President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation declared slaves in the Confederacy to be free. This announcement was made on September 22, 1862 and the American Civil War ended on April 9, 1865. 

While enslaved African Americans had their freedom, it took time for the news to spread. On June 19, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger and his Union soldiers delivered this news to Galveston, Texas in General Order 3:

"The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired laborer." 

Many now free African Americans traveled north and to other nearby states to seek out family members, always remembering where and when they were freed. In the following years, some celebrants would make a pilgrimage back to Galveston to celebrate Juneteenth. Celebrations would be held in communities across the country, including rodeos, picnics and barbecuing, fishing, playing baseball and attending prayer services and educational events.

To this day, Juneteenth is a celebration of the freedom and achievements of African Americans. The official Juneteenth website calls the holiday “a story of pride, resilience and determination that will always be of historical and spiritual importance – as it serves us well to understand that together, we can overcome all obstacles in our path.”

There are many ways to celebrate Juneteenth in your local community, including the Yonkers Public Library! Check out some of our Juneteenth events at the Crestwood and Will Library branches:

Friday, June 16th - Juneteenth For Mazie by Floyd Cooper @ Crestwood at 3:30PM

Saturday, June 17th - Celebrate Juneteenth: African Drum Circle with Jalal Blackman at 2:00 PM

You can also check out these great Juneteenth books from our catalog. Be sure to ask a librarian at your local branch for other recommendations!

All YPL locations will be closed Sunday, June 18 and Monday, June 19 in observance of Juneteenth.

Riverfront Library and Will Library will remain partially open as early voting locations.

Happy Juneteenth!

Alison Robles is a part-time page at the Crestwood Library. She is an avid reader with a passion for YA lit, historical fiction and fantasy. A Yonkers native, she graduated from Iona University in 2020 with a dual-degree in Marketing and Public Relations. She is pursuing a Masters in Information and Library Science from the University at Buffalo.

Michael Walsh is an adult services librarian at the Will Library.