Teaching Juneteenth
On June 19, 1865, Union Army Gen. Gordon Granger proclaimed the end of slavery to individuals in Galveston, Texas. Abraham Lincoln had outlawed slavery more than two years prior to this with the Emancipation Proclamation, but the enforcement of the end of slavery in Texas had been poor and inconsistent until Granger arrived in the state with Union troops and made his proclamation, known as General Order No. 3. Today, June 19 is recognized as a holiday called Juneteenth (short for June 19th), on which we celebrate the emancipation of enslaved persons in the United States. Additionally, Juneteenth rose in prominence in the public eye, when President Biden declared it as a national holiday on June 17, 2021. Within this collection of Juneteenth teaching resources, you will find lesson plans, activities and other materials to help educate and engage students in learning about the Reconstruction era history and politics surrounding the Juneteenth holiday, and the role Black joy plays in celebrating this heritage.
