In 2019, Elkhart residents came together at Canaan Baptist Church on the city’s south side to celebrate freedom. Today, the Juneteenth celebration will be renewed – part of a growing movement across the country to recognize the immensely important event of June 19, 1865.
On that date, the delivery of the official military order (opens in a new tab) freeing slaves in Texas was delivered to the people following the conclusion of the Civil War. Since then, the day has been called Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, and Cel-Liberation Day. But Juneteenth is the more familiar starting point for researching the event, its importance, and connection to today’s civil rights discussions.
Our librarians have curated these sources of information from our Digital Library and physical collection about Juneteenth. For more information, please call 574-522-5669 or contact us via email.
Digital resources
- Juneteenth Entry | Britannica Online (opens in a new tab)
- Gale encyclopedias containing Juneteenth articles | GVRL (opens in a new tab)
- Up-to-date news articles from around the country with the subject “Juneteenth” | Gale in Context (opens in a new tab)
- Videos of Juneteenth celebrations & news broadcasts from around the country | Gale in Context (opens in a new tab)
- Explora (opens in a new tab) teacher resources & academic journal articles on Juneteenth
- Celebrating Holidays: Juneteenth by Rachel Grack Hoopla eBook (opens in a new tab)
- On My Own Holidays: Juneteenth by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson & Drew Nelson Hoopla eBook (opens in a new tab)
- Holiday Histories: The Story Behind Juneteenth by Jack Reader Hoopla eBook (opens in a new tab)
- Holidays & Heroes: Let’s Celebrate Emancipation Day & Juneteenth by Barbara Derubertis Hoopla eBook (opens in a new tab)
Books for adults
- Envisioning Emancipation: Black Americans and the End of Slavery by Deborah Willis EPL Nonfiction Book (opens in a new tab)
- Juneteenth: a novel by Ralph Ellison EPL Fiction Book (opens in a new tab)
Books for children
- All Different Now: Juneteenth, the First Day of Freedom by Angela Johnson EPL Picture Book (opens in a new tab)
- The History of Juneteenth by Maximilian Smith EPL J Book (opens in a new tab)
- Juneteenth for Mazie by Floyd Cooper EPL Picture book (opens in a new tab)
