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Juneteenth: Home

Celebrate and honor Juneteenth with the Shapiro Library!

Slavery was formally abolished on December 6, 1865 with the ratification of the 13th amendment; however, the Emancipation Proclamation was issued by President Lincoln on January 1,1863 during the Civil War. It took more than two and a half years for Union soldiers to spread the news of the emancipation of slaves throughout states which had been under Confederate rule during the Civil War. On June 19,1865, Texas was the last state to learn of the emancipation of slaves. Juneteenth, also called "Emancipation Day", "National Independence Day", and "Freedom Day" is the oldest celebration commemorating the freedom from slavery in the United States. It was established as a federal holiday on June 17, 2021.

Below, we've curated a list of print, audio, and eBook resources which explore and highlight the many cultural and literary contributions of Black people, as well as the complex legacy of slavery, to the landscape of United States history. The Shapiro Library also provides access to a variety of other resources including movies on streaming platforms such as Kanopy This link opens in a new window, Swank This link opens in a new window, and more! And, remember, print materials can be shipped to off-campus users anytime via our Off-Campus Library & Interlibrary Loan Service!