June 19
Celebrate Juneteenth with your children through books and quotes
Juneteenth is an important holiday at Stories of Color. Not only is it the day commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in Texas on June 19, 1865, it also happens to be our book catalog’s birthday.
Enjoy these fine living books and quotes to celebrate the holiday with your own family this year and in the years to come.
Living books about Juneteenth
To celebrate Juneteenth with your children, consider these “living” books about the national holiday and enslaved people’s emancipation in America.
Quotes about Juneteenth
These inspiring quotes from Black perspectives illustrate the importance and value of Juneteenth, freedom, and progress.
“Juneteenth has never been a celebration of victory or an acceptance of the way things are. It's a celebration of progress. It’s an affirmation that despite the most painful parts of our history, change is possible—and there is still so much work to do.”
Barack Obama
“Freeing yourself was one thing, claiming ownership of that freed self was another.”
Toni Morrison
“You must never, ever give out. We must keep the faith because we are one people. We are brothers and sisters. We all live in the same house: The American house.”
John Lewis
“What I love about Juneteenth is that even in that extended wait, we still find something to celebrate. Even though the story has never been tidy, and Black folks have had to march and fight for every inch of our freedom, our story is nonetheless one of progress.”
Michelle Obama
“Juneteenth was a promise that was broken. Reconstruction failed and this country has continued to wage war on the Black body. Juneteenth also embodies the resilience of Black people. Even in the face of a broken system, we choose to find joy in resistance and celebrate in community.”
Obriam Rosario
“Today on Juneteenth, the day we celebrate the end of slavery, the day we memorialize those who offered us hope for the future and the day when we renew our commitment to the struggle for freedom.”
Angela Davis
“Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.”
Martin Luther King Jr.
“You can’t separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom.”
Malcom X
“I had crossed the line. I was free; but there was no one to welcome me to the land of freedom. I was a stranger in a strange land.”
Harriet Tubman
“Juneteenth means so much to me. It represents the freedom that my ancestors fought so tirelessly for. But rather than focusing on the brutalization of my people then and now. I choose to focus on hope. June 19th reminds me that I am the force of power to change this world and to follow in the footsteps of my ancestors to work towards liberation.”
Mariah Cooley
This celebration of Juneteenth was brought to you—with love—from Stories of Color.