Juneteenth

As The Studio Museum in Harlem celebrates Juneteenth, we invite our audiences to consider resources that can provide further information around the legacy of this holiday, the many ways it is celebrated, and how it continues to be a cornerstone of Black culture and celebration in the United States. This Juneteenth also comes as a new holiday for many. We are excited to offer the below resources to support those who are reimagining, relearning, and continue to engage with our country's history and in doing so, adopting Juneteenth into their national identity. 
 

The Lead Up

Mary N. Elliot, “The Historical Legacy of Juneteenth - Google Arts & Culture.” Google
The Smithsonian presents an interactive presentation of Juneteenth’s legacy. This includes videos and text that help narrate the story of emancipation. 
 

Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers' Project, 1936–1938, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 
This multivolume set, housed at the Library of Congress, centers the voices of more than 2,300 Black Americans who lived through slavery in the United States. Collected between 1936 and 1938, these narratives and photographs offer a complex and vital perspective on the first Juneteenth, and highlight the important fact that reactions to this significant day were not monolithic.
 

AmherstMedia, “History Bites: Juneteenth Feat. Dr. Amilcar Shabazz.” YouTube, January 20, 2021.
Dr. Amilcar Shabazz links the history of the Civil War with Juneteenth to explain how Amherst soldiers and sailor's efforts contributed to liberation. 

Juneteenth's Origins

Terry Gross, “'On Juneteenth' Historian Examines The 'Hope' And 'Hostility' Toward Emancipation.” NPR, May 25, 2021.
Annette Gordon-Reed, prize-winning historian and Harvard professor explores key points in her book, On Juneteenth.
 

“Juneteenth.” National Museum of African American History and Culture, June 10, 2021.
The National Museum of African American History and Culture provides a wealth of information and resources that place Juneteenth into its historical context.
 

Quintard Taylor, Juneteenth: The Growth of an African American Holiday (1865–), BlackPast, May 7, 2021.
This article explains how Juneteenth has evolved as a holiday since 1865.

Celebrating and Honoring Juneteenth

Olivia B. Waxman, “Inside the Push to Make Juneteenth a National Holiday.” Time, June 17, 2020.
A history of activists and their fight for the recognition of Juneteenth.
 

 Leah and Naima Penniman, “The Plants of Black Freedom,” The Juneteenth Broadcast presented by A Growing Culture, YouTube, June 22, 2020.
Farming is land and land is freedom.
 

Kevin Young, "Juneteenth Is a National Holiday Now. Can It Still Be Black?", The New York Times, June 18, 2021. 
Mr. Young,  Andrew W. Mellon director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, shares his thoughts on our newest federally-recognized holiday. 
 

“Juneteenth: A Culinary History,” Frederick Douglass Opie and Fabu Carter-Brisco, Here On Earth: Radio Without Borders, Wisconsin Public Radio, 2009.
This radio show explains the significance of red foods and the diasporic connections in celebratory foods between the United States and Africa.

Coshandra Dillard, “Teaching Juneteenth,” Learning for Justice, June 12, 2019.
This article provides a model for educators to teach Juneteenth through the exploration of themes such as Culture as Resistance, Understanding Emancipation, Backlash to Freedom, and American Ideals. This curriculum shows how Juneteenth is vital to students’ understanding of American history.