Juneteenth Commemoration

Hello all,

Today, Friday June 19, marks the celebration of Juneteenth, which commemorates the abolition of slavery in the United States. Although rarely touched upon, Juneteenth's significance cannot be overstated. While the Emancipation Proclamation took effect starting on January 1, 1863, not all enslaved people were free as it could not be implemented in places still under Confederate control. Consequently, around 2,000 Union Troops travelled to Galveston Bay, Texas and announced the more than 250,000 enslaved black people in the state were free by executive decree. This day would be known as "Juneteenth" by the newly freed people of Texas.

The library will be closed on Friday as customary. However, we have added new eBooks and audiobooks on Libby to celebrate, including Interpreting the Amistad Trials by Jeannette Zaragoza de León, a book that highlights the common thread that unites Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic as part of the Amistad story.

Wishing you all a wonderful summer from our library family to yours.