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Books & Beyond

Juneteenth

By Happy Valley Librarians
May 31, 2023

Juneteenth (a portmanteau of June and nineteen) commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union general Gordon Granger read federal orders in Galveston, Texas, that all previously enslaved people were free — finally freeing slaves in Texas over two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. The Juneteenth holiday is a time to celebrate and examine our history, reflect on the legacy of slavery, and look toward the future. Here are some books by Black authors and artists that celebrate African American culture, resistance, and achievement. 

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