Blog by the Black History 365 Team
Why is Juneteenth an important holiday to African Americans? Juneteenth, observed on June 19, marks the day in 1865 when General Gordon Granger issued General Order No. 3, officially enforcing the Emancipation Proclamation. This order proclaimed that enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas were now free U.S. citizens.
The first Juneteenth celebrations were originally rooted in Texas and often took place in churches and other gathering spaces in African American communities. Over time, the holiday has grown in national recognition, and in 2021, Juneteenth was designated as a federal holiday. Juneteenth symbolizes past and present pursuits for freedom and equity for African Americans.
Celebrate Juneteenth at AC Library!
- Coffee & Creativity: A Juneteenth Celebration of African American Traditions through Textiles at the San Lorenzo Library on Saturday, June 14 from 10:30 am-12:00 pm
- Juneteenth/Pride Festival at the San Lorenzo Library on Saturday, June 14 from 12:00 pm-4:00 pm
- Juneteenth Storytime (via Zoom) at the Newark Library on Tuesday, June 17 from 6:00 pm-7:00 pm
- Juneteenth Triple Feature-Harriet at the Albany Library on Wednesday, June 18 from 12:30-2:45 pm
- Juneteenth Triple Feature-Glory at the Albany Library on Wednesday, June 18 from 3:00-5:15 pm
- Juneteenth Triple Feature-Till at the Albany Library on Wednesday, June 18 from 5:30-7:45 pm
- Juneteenth Storytime at Centerville Library on Wednesday, June 18 from 7:00-7:30 pm
- Juneteenth Flag Craft at Union City Library on Saturday, June 21 from 3:30-4:30 pm
Juneteenth Celebrations in Alameda County
- 38th Annual Berkeley Juneteenth Festival on Sunday, June 15 from 11:00 am-7:00 pm
- Hella Juneteenth Festival at the Oakland Museum of California on Thursday, June 19 from 12:00-5:00 pm
- 2nd Annual Juneteenth Community Celebration on Thursday, June 19 from 1:00-5:00 pm at the Silliman Center in Newark
- 18th Annual Oakland Juneteenth Celebration & Street Festival on Saturday, June 21 from 11:00 am-6:00 pm
- Additional Juneteenth Celebrations throughout the Bay Area
Bay Area Celebrations for Juneteenth
- Pinole Pride & Juneteenth on Sunday, June 8 from 12:00 pm-3:00 pm
- Juneteenth Celebration in Livermore on Saturday, June 21 from 10:00 am–3:00 pm
Booklists
Celebrate Juneteenth with books for young readers!
Read about Juneteenth and the fight for emancipation with these fiction and nonfiction titles.
Add a comment to: Juneteenth: Celebrating Freedom