The Juneteenth Story Celebrating the End of Slavery in the United States

by Agostini, Alliah L.; Cloud, Sawyer

• ISBN13: 9780760381991
• ISBN10: 0760381992
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2022-06-17
• Publisher: becker&mayer! kids
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• Purchase Benefits

Summary

Winner of the 2022 Black Kidlit Award for Best Historical title.

With colorful illustrations and a timeline, this introductory history of Juneteenth for kids details the evolution of the holiday commemorating the date the enslaved people of Texas first learned of their freedom?.

On June 19, 1865—more than two years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation—the enslaved people of Texas first learned of their freedom. That day became a day of remembrance and celebration that changed and grew from year to year.

Learn about the events that led to emancipation and why it took so long for the enslaved people in Texas to hear the news. The first Juneteenth began as “Jubilee Day,” where families celebrated and learned of their new rights as citizens. As Black Texans moved to other parts of the country, they brought their traditions along with them, and Juneteenth continued to grow and develop.

Today, Juneteenth’s powerful spirit has endured through the centuries to become an official holiday in the United States in 2021. The Juneteenth Story provides an accessible introduction for kids to learn about this important American holiday.

The Holiday Celebration series from becker&mayer! kids honors the diverse holidays and milestones that shape the cultural fabric of the United States. Though these traditions may have originated elsewhere, brought to our shores by ancestors from around the world, they have endured and evolved to weave the vibrant tapestry of American life. The series includes picture books and their companion kid-friendly cookbooks that share stories uniquely representative of the American experience—an experience that is multilayered, eclectic, inclusive, and joyfully beautiful.

Also available from the series: The Juneteenth Cookbook, The Dia de Los Muertos Story, The Dia de Los Muertos Cookbook, and The Kwanzaa Story.

Author Biography

Alliah L. Agostini writes to spread joy, because we can always use more of it. She also knows firsthand how valuable it is for more people, young readers especially, to finally see themselves reflected on the page. Alliah founded and contributes to Grownesque, a blog and social media destination for Xennial women. She resides in New Jersey, where she enjoys impromptu dance parties and making up corny jokes with her husband and two children. She is a member of SCBWI and has an AB and MBA from Harvard.

Sawyer Cloud loves sunny days and music. Children’s books she has illustrated include Jade Braves the Dark, Dear Mama’s Loving Arms, Our Favourite Things, Earthbred, and Under the Mango Tree. If not drawing, she would be singing out loud in her room wearing her favorite fairy costume, and sharing the moment with her online friends. She lives in Madagascar with her family and two pets, Arya the dog and Potter the cat. Her dream is to travel and share her stories with the world.