What is Juneteenth?
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce the emancipation of enslaved people, over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. This historic day, a portmanteau of the words "June" and "nineteenth," began as a celebration in Texas's African American communities and has now become a cherished federal holiday nationwide.
Our American Story - Juneteenth | National Museum of African American History and Culture
This marks the second year that Alameda County has observed Juneteenth as a federal holiday with the closures of all county buildings and services. In honor of this important holiday, we continue to offer programs that celebrate freedom and educate about the history of enslavement and inequity.
What are some ways to celebrate Juneteenth?
Beyond celebrating freedom and joy, Juneteenth is an opportunity to read and think critically about the legacy of chattel slavery that Black people in North America, South America, and the Caribbean endured. It’s a time to acknowledge the obstacles African Americans have overcome amid ongoing inequality while sustaining many vibrant cultural traditions.
A beginner’s guide to celebrating Juneteenth | PBS NewsHour
Coding Through Quilts
One important cultural tradition was the use of quilting and encoding within fabric designs messages that enslaved people used to keep each other safe. The shapes, symbols, and colors of quilts were used to spread information about safe houses, warn against dangerous areas to avoid, and could be a kind of map for enslaved people seeking to escape their captors and seek freedom.
Underground Railroad Quilt Codes: What We Know, What We Believe, and What Inspires Us
Celebrate Juneteenth at AC Library
Join us at Alameda County Library to participate in special programming and craft kits that honor Juneteenth!
- A Celebration of African American Social Dances at Newark Library on Monday, June 17
- Freedom Day Juneteenth Celebration at San Lorenzo Library on June 22 Library
- Craft Kits: Create Juneteenth-themed bracelets! Kits can be picked up at any AC Library location, while supplies last.
Celebrate Juneteenth in Alameda County
Attend Juneteenth events open to the public at these locations throughout Alameda County!
- Oakland First Fridays on June 7 on Telegraph Ave between 27th and 22nd Street in Oakland
- Juneteenth Reading on June 12 at Books Inc. Alameda in Alameda
- Juneteenth Celebration on June 15 at Bankhead Plaza in Livermore
- Juneteenth Celebration of Freedom Awards on June 15 at the California Ballroom in Oakland
- 37th Annual Berkeley Juneteenth Festival on June 16 in Berkeley
- Juneteenth Celebration Hike on June 19 at Coyote Hills Regional Park in Fremont
- City of Newark - Juneteenth Celebration on June 19 at the Silliman Center in Newark
- OMCA Hosts: Hella Juneteenth “The Cookout” on June 19 at the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA)
Book Lists
Learn more about the history of Juneteenth with these book lists available at Alameda County Library.
Celebrate Jubilee Day or Juneteenth with reading recommendations from Alameda County Library! Learn the history behind this federal holiday through these books written for children. Click on the titles to learn more about these selections.
Oral histories passed down through generations tell the story of secret codes sewn into quilts that helped direct enslaved people to freedom through the Underground Railroad. To read more about quilt codes and story quilts, the Underground Railroad, and the significance of quilts throughout Black history, check out the books below.
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