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On My Own ~ Holidays
Juneteenth (On My Own Holidays) (On My Own Holidays
June 19th, 1865, began as another hot day in Texas. African American slaves worked in fields, in barns, and in the homes of the white people who owned them. Then a message arrived. Freedom! Slavery had ended! The Civil War had actually ended in April. It took two months for word to reach Texas. Still the joy of that amazing day has never been forgotten. Every year, people all over the United States come together on June 19th to celebrate the end of slavery. Join in the celebration of Juneteenth, a day to remember and honor freedom for all people.
48 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 28, 2005
2 people are currently reading
127 people want to read
About the author
Vaunda Micheaux Nelson
20 books95 followersVaunda Micheaux Nelson loves bringing books and children together and feels lucky to have two careers that foster this. The children's librarian and author says, "It was destined from the day I was born. My mother found my name in a novel she was reading."
Vaunda's first book, Always Gramma, was selected by the Children's Book Council as a Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies. Mayfield Crossing won the Georgia Children's Book in 1995, and Beyond Mayfield received a 1999 Parents' Choice Gold Award. Almost to Freedom, her most recent title, received a Coretta Scott King Honor for illustration in 2004. In addition, Vaunda's poetry has been published in Cricket and Cicada magazines.
Vaunda has been a teacher, newspaper reporter, bookseller, school librarian, and twice a member of the Newbery Award Committee. She holds master's degrees from The Bread Loaf School of English at Middlebury College, Vermont, and from the University of Pittsburgh School of Library and Information Science. Her memberships include the SCBWI, the American Library Association and the Association for Library Service to Children. The Pennsylvania native is currently the young adult librarian at a public library in New Mexico, where she lives with her husband, Drew, and two cats.
Vaunda's first book, Always Gramma, was selected by the Children's Book Council as a Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies. Mayfield Crossing won the Georgia Children's Book in 1995, and Beyond Mayfield received a 1999 Parents' Choice Gold Award. Almost to Freedom, her most recent title, received a Coretta Scott King Honor for illustration in 2004. In addition, Vaunda's poetry has been published in Cricket and Cicada magazines.
Vaunda has been a teacher, newspaper reporter, bookseller, school librarian, and twice a member of the Newbery Award Committee. She holds master's degrees from The Bread Loaf School of English at Middlebury College, Vermont, and from the University of Pittsburgh School of Library and Information Science. Her memberships include the SCBWI, the American Library Association and the Association for Library Service to Children. The Pennsylvania native is currently the young adult librarian at a public library in New Mexico, where she lives with her husband, Drew, and two cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
June 27, 2021
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This was such a great short condensed version of what Juneteenth is all about. I read this with my son and he has no idea about the civil war and barely understood what slaves were (2nd grade) so this was eye opening for him.
The illustrations were great and added an extra touch to the book. It was easy to read and informative for the short amount of pages.
This was such a great short condensed version of what Juneteenth is all about. I read this with my son and he has no idea about the civil war and barely understood what slaves were (2nd grade) so this was eye opening for him.
The illustrations were great and added an extra touch to the book. It was easy to read and informative for the short amount of pages.
November 13, 2022
To be honest, I live in the South and I learned about Juneteenth fairly recently; I guess it's not such a common celebration in Florida. Many slaves were stolen and brought to the Americas by the Portuguese, Spanish, French, Dutch and then finally the English in the transatlantic slave trade. The Portuguese (Iberian Peninsula) were the first and then the last (against their will) to stop selling slaves while the English were liberating them everywhere, like in the South of Africa from Boars (Dutch). Unfortunately, many Africans also participated in selling their fellow men from different tribes. There are Sub-Saharan Africans today that know their history and the names of their grandparents who were slavers. June nineteenth is when many African Americans were given the message of the Emancipation Proclamation. The illustrations are in a American classical style.
August 24, 2022
Featured in a grandma reads session.
Read during the season of Juneteenth, we chose this read to educate ourselves on the what and why of this holiday - we don't live in the region from which it sprang, and so were eager to get some facts and details about it, and read a number of books on the topic this June.
I've noticed as I read, my kiddos are less driven by the same guilt motivations I have been when reading these books that I believe have (and are part of my reason for choosing), to varying degrees, elements of reconciliation/revelation to our own past, history and carefully cultured ignorance. But the older the grandkid, the more their beautiful eyebrows knit together as we read the darker reasons for the absolute joys celebrated on Juneteenth. Freedom. From slavery, bondage and inhuman abuse. Not just any other party. Freedom finally wrested from the SonsofaNutcracker that kept the secret of that Freedom as long as they possibly could. . .
Important message, finally freed as well.
Read during the season of Juneteenth, we chose this read to educate ourselves on the what and why of this holiday - we don't live in the region from which it sprang, and so were eager to get some facts and details about it, and read a number of books on the topic this June.
I've noticed as I read, my kiddos are less driven by the same guilt motivations I have been when reading these books that I believe have (and are part of my reason for choosing), to varying degrees, elements of reconciliation/revelation to our own past, history and carefully cultured ignorance. But the older the grandkid, the more their beautiful eyebrows knit together as we read the darker reasons for the absolute joys celebrated on Juneteenth. Freedom. From slavery, bondage and inhuman abuse. Not just any other party. Freedom finally wrested from the SonsofaNutcracker that kept the secret of that Freedom as long as they possibly could. . .
Important message, finally freed as well.
June 18, 2025
Another book that I highly recommend for personal libraries of little black and brown children. It is our responsibility to teach our young ones the history that others are trying to whitewash.
December 5, 2021
Contextualizing Juneteenth with this picture book from 2006 was helpful. I knew the basics but the way the story was told gave great historical background up to the present and now knowing that more and more states are adopting the celebration paves the way for a federal holiday possibly.
It's a celebration we see here in Albany so I know I'll be purchasing the picture book for the HS library to give the same background if someone is unaware of how the celebration was started.
It's a celebration we see here in Albany so I know I'll be purchasing the picture book for the HS library to give the same background if someone is unaware of how the celebration was started.
June 19, 2020
Really glad I stumbled upon this, great book aimed at 7 year olds.
@theconsciouskid on their instagram posted Vaunda Micheaux Nelson reading this in celebration of Juneteenth from their IGTV.
(During the reading she changes some of the phrasing refer to "enslaved people" instead of "slaves")
@theconsciouskid on their instagram posted Vaunda Micheaux Nelson reading this in celebration of Juneteenth from their IGTV.
(During the reading she changes some of the phrasing refer to "enslaved people" instead of "slaves")
June 19, 2020
I listened to Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, the author read her honest, open book and truly loved it. Although it filled me with deep sadness... Growing up, unfortunately, I never learned about Juneteenth, nor the horrific true Black history of my nation. It is time I learned! I am trying to seek, read and absorb honest and real history of other races.
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October 6, 2024*listened on audiobook with Hendrix*
June 8, 2016
'Juneteenth' by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson and Drew Nelson tells the dramatic story of the slaves being freed in Texas, finally, on June 19th, 1865; two and a half years after Lincoln's historic Emancipation Proclamation.
History is shared, for children 6 - 12. The authors and the artist approach the subject with all due drama, yet they are sensitive to young audiences. The historic day is covered as it unfolded, and people's reactions are shared. Then slowly and carefully just enough of the history of slavery is revealed for young people to understand the true significance of Juneteenth. The book concludes with a few notes on the Juneteenth celebrations that continue to this day.
This is a great read for families and children's programs. It gives the opportunity for year around programs to break Black History out the month of February and for us all to realize that African American history is a part of our overall history every month of the year.
History is shared, for children 6 - 12. The authors and the artist approach the subject with all due drama, yet they are sensitive to young audiences. The historic day is covered as it unfolded, and people's reactions are shared. Then slowly and carefully just enough of the history of slavery is revealed for young people to understand the true significance of Juneteenth. The book concludes with a few notes on the Juneteenth celebrations that continue to this day.
This is a great read for families and children's programs. It gives the opportunity for year around programs to break Black History out the month of February and for us all to realize that African American history is a part of our overall history every month of the year.
May 8, 2015
Easy reading history books make me happy. A way to share something important with lots of illustration and deep enough detail to go beyond what they teach in the textbooks is definitely a delight. Just enough here to convey the story very well and give the reader a clear understanding of not just the holiday, but what led to it. Liked this a lot and hope there are more history books of this nature out there to explore.
June 19, 2020
This is an excellent book to introduce why Juneteenth is a holiday. The book provides information on how black people were enslaved and brought to America. This book is presented in a straightforward tone perfect to prompt further discussions with children and conveys a spirit of celebration. I will be adding this book to my list of books to gift children.
March 10, 2012
An amazing story to celebrate the end of slavery with your students!
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July 15, 2018This is a solid, child-appropriate, overview of Juneteenth.
It starts with the Jubilee announcement and then the next section backtracks to "But how did black people become slaves?" and I appreciated that it didn't absolve the North -- We read: "Why did Americans want slaves? Some people in the North wanted housekeepers and farmhands. Many Southerners needed people to work on their plantations." and the text goes on to explain that, "Plantations were huge farms [...]. Plantation owners sold these crops to make money. The owners could keep more money if they did not have to pay the people who worked for them. They did not pay slaves."
The next section is about the Civil War -- "Many people in the North and some in the South wanted to free the slaves." Understandably, as it's a children's book, it doesn't go into the complicated economic and political issues that were tied in with this and presents the Civil War as being fought simply over slavery, with one side wanting slavery to continue for economic reasons and the other side wanting it to end for moral reasons.
The next section is called "Freedom" and starts with the Emancipation Proclamation, and I appreciated that it stated that, "It said that slaves in the Confederate States were 'forever free.' " The backmatter includes some more information about the different dates that people have suggested for celebrating the end of slavery, for example the date the Emancipation Proclamation was signed (January 1, 1863) or the date the 13th Amendment became law (December 18, 1865), and of the latter it notes: This amendment ended slavery in all of the states. The Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves only in the Confederate states." (I would add that the 13th Amendment has an exception for people who have been convicted of a crime -- thanks, Ava -- and I think one could include mention of that in the backmatter in a child-appropriate way, about how there is still work to be done..)
Having moved through the end of the Civil War and the proclamation in Galveston, the story continues with the former slaves' experience of freedom (which it doesn't sugar coat: "Some former slaves found jobs in cities. Others could not because white people wouldn't hire them. Many stayed on plantations because they had nowhere else to go. The slaves were free, but black Americans would struggle for equal rights for a long time. Still, the end of slavery brought great joy and a reason to celebrate.") and what Juneneeth anniversary celebrations entailed (I didn't know that "Red velvet cake and red soda pop are traditional treats. Red honors all the people whose blood was shed in slavery and in the struggle for freedom.").
It starts with the Jubilee announcement and then the next section backtracks to "But how did black people become slaves?" and I appreciated that it didn't absolve the North -- We read: "Why did Americans want slaves? Some people in the North wanted housekeepers and farmhands. Many Southerners needed people to work on their plantations." and the text goes on to explain that, "Plantations were huge farms [...]. Plantation owners sold these crops to make money. The owners could keep more money if they did not have to pay the people who worked for them. They did not pay slaves."
The next section is about the Civil War -- "Many people in the North and some in the South wanted to free the slaves." Understandably, as it's a children's book, it doesn't go into the complicated economic and political issues that were tied in with this and presents the Civil War as being fought simply over slavery, with one side wanting slavery to continue for economic reasons and the other side wanting it to end for moral reasons.
The next section is called "Freedom" and starts with the Emancipation Proclamation, and I appreciated that it stated that, "It said that slaves in the Confederate States were 'forever free.' " The backmatter includes some more information about the different dates that people have suggested for celebrating the end of slavery, for example the date the Emancipation Proclamation was signed (January 1, 1863) or the date the 13th Amendment became law (December 18, 1865), and of the latter it notes: This amendment ended slavery in all of the states. The Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves only in the Confederate states." (I would add that the 13th Amendment has an exception for people who have been convicted of a crime -- thanks, Ava -- and I think one could include mention of that in the backmatter in a child-appropriate way, about how there is still work to be done..)
Having moved through the end of the Civil War and the proclamation in Galveston, the story continues with the former slaves' experience of freedom (which it doesn't sugar coat: "Some former slaves found jobs in cities. Others could not because white people wouldn't hire them. Many stayed on plantations because they had nowhere else to go. The slaves were free, but black Americans would struggle for equal rights for a long time. Still, the end of slavery brought great joy and a reason to celebrate.") and what Juneneeth anniversary celebrations entailed (I didn't know that "Red velvet cake and red soda pop are traditional treats. Red honors all the people whose blood was shed in slavery and in the struggle for freedom.").
May 25, 2023
"It is a time to remember."
This children's book embraces the celebratory nature of Juneteenth even as it balances the barbecues and family gatherings with the realities of what it celebrates freedom from -- and it invites children to imagine being separated from their friends, being denied the freedom to choose what to do when, to try and understand, to some degree, the lives of enslaved people.
I really like the tone of this book. It points out that the emancipation proclamation was not signed on Juneteenth, nor is that the day EVERY enslaved person was freed, rather it marks when word was LAST delivered, announcing their freedom. I came out feeling there is no one way, nor a right way or day to celebrate, rather that freedom is a wonderful thing, to be appreciated and rejoiced in, and as such, very deserving of celebration.
This children's book embraces the celebratory nature of Juneteenth even as it balances the barbecues and family gatherings with the realities of what it celebrates freedom from -- and it invites children to imagine being separated from their friends, being denied the freedom to choose what to do when, to try and understand, to some degree, the lives of enslaved people.
I really like the tone of this book. It points out that the emancipation proclamation was not signed on Juneteenth, nor is that the day EVERY enslaved person was freed, rather it marks when word was LAST delivered, announcing their freedom. I came out feeling there is no one way, nor a right way or day to celebrate, rather that freedom is a wonderful thing, to be appreciated and rejoiced in, and as such, very deserving of celebration.
June 17, 2022
Vaunda Micheaux Nelson’s “Juneteenth,” was very informative and beautifully illustrated.
There are so many interesting facts that I would have never known if I had not read this book. I will spare anyone the spoilers because it is such an important read, and it will assist anyone who chooses to celebrate the holiday by mentioning the events that transpired, the General Granger who sent news from President Lincoln, the city, state, color, foods, drinks, songs and other traditions that began on June 19, 1866 in Galveston, Texas.
It has been a state holiday in Texas since 1980 and became a federal holiday in 2021.
I cannot praise this book enough and I plan on purchasing it.
There are so many interesting facts that I would have never known if I had not read this book. I will spare anyone the spoilers because it is such an important read, and it will assist anyone who chooses to celebrate the holiday by mentioning the events that transpired, the General Granger who sent news from President Lincoln, the city, state, color, foods, drinks, songs and other traditions that began on June 19, 1866 in Galveston, Texas.
It has been a state holiday in Texas since 1980 and became a federal holiday in 2021.
I cannot praise this book enough and I plan on purchasing it.
June 24, 2022
Read as an audiobook
I mainly picked up this picture book because I was looking for more information in regards to Juneteenth. I thought it had something to do with the Emancipation Proclamation, but I wasn't sure (because the American school system sucks sometimes). This gave me the information I needed, written in a simplistic way without talking down to anyone, especially since this is a book written for children. This picture book also told me things I did not know, but they did not surprise me, either. Really enjoyed this one and highly recommend the audiobook.
I mainly picked up this picture book because I was looking for more information in regards to Juneteenth. I thought it had something to do with the Emancipation Proclamation, but I wasn't sure (because the American school system sucks sometimes). This gave me the information I needed, written in a simplistic way without talking down to anyone, especially since this is a book written for children. This picture book also told me things I did not know, but they did not surprise me, either. Really enjoyed this one and highly recommend the audiobook.
June 17, 2025
"Juneteenth" is a good book for later elementary school children, but it is very careful to not have much judgment to former slave owners. But let's face facts. Why didn't certain Texans tell their enslaved people they were free. They were jerks and didn't want to give up power and free labor.
But what I did enjoy about the book is that it explained that there were celebrations and that was lovely to hear.
But what I did enjoy about the book is that it explained that there were celebrations and that was lovely to hear.
June 20, 2023
It covers slavery, Civil War, freedom
It goes into detail about how and why slavery happened from Africa to America, questions why did Americans want to enslave people?, Juneteenth then to now.
Backmatter includes "Freedom days" essay, a freedom song "No More Auction Block" and glossary.
The illustrations are really nice, like folk art paintings.
It goes into detail about how and why slavery happened from Africa to America, questions why did Americans want to enslave people?, Juneteenth then to now.
Backmatter includes "Freedom days" essay, a freedom song "No More Auction Block" and glossary.
The illustrations are really nice, like folk art paintings.
February 22, 2021
4.5 Part of me wants to mark on down because it's a fairly mundane boring history picture book and the origin of a holiday and the art work isn't that great, but, but, thank goodness there is a book that treats Juneteenth like it is the fourth of july or Thanksgiving.
June 19, 2022
This is a solid, encompassing kids book that goes beyond Juneteenth itself, both holiday and legacy, and gets into slavery in an effective summary of its injustice and brutality, with the framing of emancipation as a profoundly celebratory moment.
February 7, 2019
i hope one day we can all be free for real .
June 15, 2020
An engaging picture book that talks to children about the history of slavery in the US and the importance of June 19, 1865. Well done.
June 19, 2020
A great children’s book that teaches any age group about Juneteenth. Glad I found this on Hoopla! If you’re looking for a good book recommendation about this holiday, try this one 📚
June 19, 2020
Gives background on slavery and the Civil War.
The illustrations are sufficient, but the words are what's important here.
This is for someone who has the patience for more words and details.
The illustrations are sufficient, but the words are what's important here.
This is for someone who has the patience for more words and details.
June 20, 2020
This book is geared to older elementary students because it gives a much more detailed and historical description of the why behind Juneteenth.
March 20, 2021
Great book explaining Juneteenth to those who don't know about it, as we all should.
December 18, 2021
I read this book mainly to see what was being presented to young readers. I liked the book and would recommend it to those wanting to give kids a quick overview of this portion of our history.
June 22, 2022
A lengthy 'easy reader' that shares the history of Juneteenth.
Read with my 7yo.
Read with my 7yo.
Read
July 7, 2022quick children's book to remind you about Juneteenth
July 29, 2022
Informative and the subject is heartbreaking even though I know slavery ended years ago, just the knowledge of what they all went through is so sad
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews