“Juneteenth has never been a celebration of victory or an acceptance of the way things are. It’s a celebration of progress. It’s an affirmation that despite the most painful parts of our history, change is possible—and there is still so much work to do.”—Barack Obama
This Thursday, June 19, we celebrate Juneteenth. On June 19, 1865, union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas announcing that the Civil War was over, and slavery abolished. A holiday celebrating the emancipation of those who had been enslaved became an official federal holiday in 2021 when President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act. Penguin Random House, closed Thursday in observance of the holiday, publishes the following excellent books for adults and young readers that honor the occasion: