Juneteenth Day

Overview

Juneteenth Day

In 2021, Juneteenth Day became a federally recognized national holiday. On June 19, 1865, enslaved Americans in Galveston, Texas received word that they were finally free, despite President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation two years prior. Today, we continue to celebrate this momentous day in not only commemorating African American freedom, but also in uplifting Black educators, scholars, artists, and communities. (source: juneteenth.com)

EDI Symposium: Celebrating Juneteenth with Stories, Poems and Conversation

2022 Events

Celebrating Juneteenth with Stories, Poems and Conversation featuring Binnie Tate Wilkin, Professional Storyteller
Monday, June 20, 2022 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Pacific Time

Binnie Tate Wilkin

Symposia

On June 20, 2022, the SJSU iSchool hosted a symposium in honor of Juneteenth Day, titled, “Celebrating Juneteenth with Stories, Poems and Conversation featuring Binnie Tate Wilkin, Professional Storyteller.” After opening up the event with a historical overview of Juneteenth Day and an explanation of why many people celebrate this day, Wilkin shared several retellings of folktales that have been passed down through African American families for generations. Following the main storytelling portion of the event was a short Q&A session.

Library and Information Science Best Practices

Best Practices from “Celebrating Juneteenth with Stories, Poems and Conversation featuring Binnie Tate Wilkin, Professional Storyteller”:

  • Think about the ways in which language shapes our view of the world. For example, the use of “captives” or “enslaved people” as terms instead of “slaves.”
  • Advance one’s knowledge of Juneteenth Day. 
  • Recognize that Juneteenth Day is more than just a holiday. 
  • Create more space in libraries for black storytellers.

Community Profiles

Professional Associations

Bibliography

Videos