A celebration of the story of Black freedom in America, Juneteenth was officially recognized as a holiday in 2021. But its observance and traditions have existed for more than a century. Take a look at these books, events, and learning tools about Juneteenth from NPL!
Edgehill Branch Library
Saturdays, June 11 and 18
3:00 to 5:00 PM
Race against the clock!
Decipher clues and meet challenges in this immersive, family-friendly adventure. Discover hidden clues amongst trivia as we delve into African-American heritage and the influence of the Juneteenth celebration of freedom!
Two sessions: 3:00–4:00 PM and 4:00–5:00 PM. Maximum 8 participants per session, on a first-come, first-served basis.
Richland Park Branch Library
Monday, June 17
2:00 to 3:00 PM
Crafts and activism collide to provide folks with an outlet for change. In this workshop, we recognize an activist connected to Juneteenth and briefly teach the evolving tool of Craftivism. Teens in grades 9-12 are welcome. Snacks provided.
Main Library, The Commons, 3rd floor
Saturday, June 22
1:30 PM
The Blackening centers around a group of Black friends who reunite for a Juneteenth weekend getaway only to find themselves trapped in a remote cabin with a twisted killer.
Directed by Tim Story (Think Like A Man) and screenplay and screen story by Tracy Oliver (Girls Trip) and Dewayne Perkins (The Amber Ruffin Show), The Blackening skewers genre tropes and poses the sardonic question: if the entire cast of a horror movie is Black, who dies first?
Klem-Marí Cajigas—of our marvelous Bringing Books to Life team—is also an NPL blogger, luckily for us all.
Check out her rich roundup post for Juneteenth including its origin and evolution, books for kids, and lesson plan ideas to help celebrate and teach "the beautiful tradition of Black freedom," as Klem-Marí eloquently words it.
