Join YDL at Ypsilanti's Annual Juneteenth Celebration

This year, YDL is going to be a part of the Kids Corner at Ypsilanti’s Annual Juneteenth Celebration!

June 19 is Juneteenth, a now-federal holiday celebrating the end of slavery in the U.S. Juneteenth commemorates the day that Union soldiers entered Galveston, Texas and announced to enslaved persons that they had been freed under the Emancipation Proclamation. The holiday also goes by many alternate names, including Black Independence Day, Emancipation Day, Jubilee Day, and Juneteenth Independence Day. In 2021, it became a federal holiday. Click on the Juneteenth flag to learn about the symbolism behind it.

Read on to find more information about the event, as well as the history of Juneteenth and resources for talking about race and racism.

Juneteenth Flag

Library Events

Safely Talk About Race & Racism- Forty Acres in the 21st Century: Black Reparations Today

This series screens recordings that provide the needed opportunity to safely engage and understand the ways racism has functioned historically and continues to impact the present. This month we will watch a presentation, Forty Acres in the Twenty-First Century: Black Reparations Today, by Kirsten Mullen and William A Darrity, authors of From Here to Equality: Reparations for Black Americans in the Twenty-First Century. After the viewing, La’Ron Williams, local storyteller and peace activist, will facilitate an open, honest discussion about race and racism.

Help us create a Juneteenth Mural!

Help with a group Juneteenth art project at the Superior branch! Between June 12–19, stop by the reference desk to pick up part of a large mural to color and put up on the wall. The art project will be on display in the meeting room through the month of June.

Juneteenth Celebration- Kids Corner

YDL is happy to be a part of Ypsilanti’s annual Juneteenth Celebration! Bring a friend and celebrate Black Joy at Juneteenth’s Kids’ Corner. The Bookmobile will share resources, a storytime about the history of Juneteenth, library card signups, and much more. The Michigan Avenue branch will also be a part of the Kid’s Corner again this year.

11am – Decorate bikes, scooters, wagons, and yourself and participate in the opening parade.
12pm-4pm – Enjoy storytimes, dancing, crafts, and more fun.

Gabrielle Hickmon - A Juneteenth Presentation: "How You Play Spades is How You Play Life"

Local artist and writer Gabrielle Ione Hickmon presents her ethnographic research project “How You Play Spades is How You Play Life” in honor of Juneteenth. Card packs will be available for playing!

Virtual African American Authors Book Discussion Group

Visit the Youth Department to learn more about Juneteenth and Black History by viewing our Juneteenth display.

YDL Juneteenth Displays

YDL-Whittaker Youth Display

YDL-Whittaker DVD Display

YDL-Michigan Youth Display

What is the History of Juneteenth?

Juneteenth began on June 19, 1865. On this day, Gordon Granger, a Union general, and his troops entered Galveston, Texas, and announced to the soon-to-be-former slaves that they had been freed by the Emancipation Proclamation. However, the Emancipation Proclamation was issued on January 1, 1863. Why weren’t the enslaved people of Texas freed until June of 1865?

Few Union troops had been able to enter Texas during the Civil War and for some time after Robert E. Lee surrendered and the Civil War ended. There weren’t enough Union troops to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation. It wasn’t until General Granger and his troops entered Texas that the formerly-enslaved persons were told of their freedom.

General Gordon issued General Order Number 3, stating, “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 personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor.”

However, the order also contained language stating the formerly-enslaved people shouldn’t expect government assistance or reparations for their enslavement, and encouraging former slaves to remain in their current homes and continue to work for those who had enslaved them as paid laborers.

The news of their freedom lead to celebrations for many freed people. Community celebrations and religious services are typically an important part of Juneteenth. Education about the history of slavery and its effects today is often central to the celebrations. You can read this article to discover a more in-depth history of Juneteenth and learn about Juneteenth traditions.

Notable Figures

Below are 3 individuals who contributed to the creation of Juneteenth. To find more information about Juneteenth and the contributions of Black Americans, scroll to the resources section.

Ben Haith

Ben Haith created the Juneteenth flag seen above. He is an activist and is the founder of the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation.

Al Edwards

Al Edwards was a legislator for the state of Texas, representing Houston. One of Edward’s primary goals during his time as a state representative was to pass a law establishing Juneteenth as a holiday. He succeeded in 1980, when Juneteenth became a state holiday in Texas. Now, 45 other states and the District of Columbia have made Juneteenth a state holiday, including Michigan in 2020. Edwards passed away in April 2020, before Juneteenth became a federal holiday.

Opal Lee

Opal Lee is an activist and a crucial part of getting Juneteenth recognized as a federal holiday. In 2016, at the age of 89, Lee walked 1400 miles from Fort Worth, Texas to Washington, D.C. to encourage the creation of Juneteenth as a federal holiday. Lee has been referred to as, “the grandmother of Juneteenth.” She was in attendance when President Biden signed the law making Juneteenth a federal holiday.

Resources

African American Interest

Discover events, resources, book lists, and useful links to learn about the African-American experience.

Race Relations Interest

When profound events happen in our world, we’re a space where our community can process, learn, and grow. The Black Lives Matter movement has inspired curiosity and action, and our librarians and library staff have worked hard to make sure we’re living up to our mission. We’ve created lists of books, movies, and activities for adults, children, and families that are designed to elevate the conversation and promote learning.

Catalog Search: Juneteenth

Discover a wide variety of Juneteenth materials for checkout at YDL.

Catalog Search: Black History

Learn about Black history and the contributions of African Americans with these materials available at YDL.

Ypsi Stories Episode 16: Red Lines and Racial Covenants: A Brief History of Housing Segregation in Ypsilanti and Beyond

In this episode of Ypsi Stories, Lee Azus explores the active and intentional roles of government and business in implementing and perpetuating discrimination. The impact of racism and white supremacy on housing from redlining maps, FHA underwriting policies, and racial restrictive covenants are still visible in the landscape around us.

A.P. Marshal African American Oral History Archive

This archive contains a collection of interviews of Ypsilanti residents who lived through the Jim Crow era, fought racism during WWII, and led the local Civil Rights movement.

Join YDL at Ypsilanti’s Annual Juneteenth Celebration