Juneteenth

First Step Nonfiction: American Holidays

by Robin Nelson

A basic overview of Juneteenth for emergent readers. Color photographs reflect the short, easy-to-understand sentences that improve vocabulary and comprehension.

Genres: Holiday

24 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2009

Reviews

[Sandra]

A perfect overview for my four year old.

[Alison · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a little too basic for what I wanted. For very young children.

[Rochetta G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Juneteenth or June 19 is significant because it was the day that slave in Texas heard they were free. This was two years after Abraham Lincoln freed slaved in the rebel states. This book is pretty self-explanatory, however, I found it interesting as I was choosing a nonfiction book. The timeline is as follows:
- 1619 – Black slaves were brought to America.
- January 1, 1863 – President Abraham Lincoln freed slaves in the rebel states.
- June 19, 1865 – Slaves in Texas heard the news that they were free.
- December 6, 1895 – Slavery ends. Freedom for all becomes a law.
- June 19, 1866 – the first Juneteenth celebration held.
- January 1, 1980 - Juneteenth became a state holiday in Texas.

This box is illustrated through combined art of actual pictures and snapshots with black and white sketches using fine lines. This book is recommended for late primary and intermediate readers. I would recommend the book to anyone that is interested in building their history bank.