Juneteenth: Books for Kids

Juneteenth celebrates the end of slavery in the United States. Although the Emancipation Proclamation was signed on January 1, 1863, Juneteenth recognizes the date when enslaved African Americans in Texas finally learned the Civil War was over and they were free. Minnesota has observed Juneteenth since 1996, and it was designated as a federal holiday in 2021. Learn more in these recommended reads for kids and teens!

Updated May 26, 2026
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All different now : Juneteenth, the first day of freedom
Johnson, Angela
Paper Book
Experience the joy of Juneteenth in this celebration of freedom from the award-winning team of Angela Johnson and E.B. Lewis. Through the eyes of one little girl, All Different Now tells the story of the first Juneteenth, the day freedom finally came to the last of the...
Free at last : a Juneteenth poem
Kincaid-Rolle, Sojourner
Paper Book
This lyrical celebration of Juneteenth, deeply rooted in Black American history, spans centuries and reverberates loudly and proudly today.After 300 years of forced bondage;hands bound, descendants of Africapicked up their souls--all that they owned--leaving shackles where they fell on the ground...
Juneteenth : our day of freedom
Wyeth, Sharon Dennis
Paper Book
Some call it Freedom Day; some call it Emancipation Day; some call it Juneteenth. Learn more about this important holiday that celebrates the end of chattel slavery in the United States in this Step 3 History Reader. On June 19, 1865, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation...
Opal Lee and what it means to be free : the true story of the grandmother of Juneteenth
Duncan, Alice Faye
Paper Book
Booklist starred review Black activist Opal Lee had a vision of Juneteenth as a holiday for everyone. This true story celebrates Black joy and inspires children to see their dreams blossom. Growing up in Texas, Opal knew the history of Juneteenth, but she soon discovered that many...
What is Juneteenth?
Jewel, Kirsti
Paper Book
Discover more about Juneteenth, the important holiday that celebrates the end of chattel slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, a group of enslaved men, women, and children in Texas gathered around a Union solder and listened as he read the most remarkable words they...
Freedom, we sing
León, Amyra
Paper Book
"I wonder, then, what freedom is. Is it a place? Is it a thought? Can it be stolen? Can it be bought?" As powerful as it is beautiful, Freedom, We Sing is a lyrical picture book designed to inspire and give hope to readers around the world. Molly Mendoza's immersive, lush...
Get up, stand up
Marley, Cedella
Paper Book
The third picture book adaptation of one of Bob Marley's beloved songs that has a timely message for children: To counter injustice, lift others up with kindness and courage. A heartfelt and meaningful book that brings Bob Marley's music to life in a new way: As a young...
Build a house
Giddens, Rhiannon
Paper Book
Grammy Award winner Rhiannon Giddens celebrates Black history and culture in her unflinching, uplifting, and gorgeously illustrated picture book debut. I learned your words and wrote my song. I put my story down. As an acclaimed musician, singer, songwriter,...
Lillian's right to vote : a celebration of the Voting Rights Act of 1965
Winter, Jonah
Paper Book
An elderly African American woman, en route to vote, remembers her family's tumultuous voting history in this picture book publishing in time for the fiftieth anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. As Lillian, a one-hundred-year-old African American woman, makes a "long haul up a...
Our children can soar : a celebration of Rosa, Barack, and the pioneers of change
Cook, Michelle.
Paper Book
Rosa sat so Martin could march. Martin marched so Barack could run. Barack ran so Our children can soar. This is the seed of a unique and inspirational picture book text, that is part historical, part poetry, and entirely inspirational. It symbolically takes...
How to build a museum : Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture
Bolden, Tonya
Paper Book
Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture is truly groundbreaking!  The first national museum whose mission is to illuminate for all people, the rich, diverse, complicated, and important experiences and contributions of African Americans in...

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