Library News
Juneteenth
by Reference Librarian 2 | June 29, 2023 at 02:06 PM
On June 19th, Acton Memorial Library celebrated Juneteenth– but did you know that it’s typically a week-long celebration with parades, music, picnics, church services, and other activities?
Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19th that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. Note that this was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation – which had become official January 1, 1863.
The library put together a list of books about Juneteenth and anti-racism for you to enjoy! Click the name of the title to check out the book or place it on hold!
AML Staff Picks: Anti-Racist Reads
While at first glance this list seems extensive, it is certainly not exhaustive. Thesee works are not the only titles that discuss race and racism in the United States; there are many more titles and authors of color that we could not include due to space and time.
Want to learn more about this holiday or anti-racism in America? Check out the links to some of the digital resources listed below!
Digital Library
- Juneteenth collection on Hoopla - Ebooks, audiobooks, video and music
- Social and Systemic Injustice collection on Kanopy - Streaming video
- Race & Racism in America - Minuteman OverDrive/Libby collection
Articles
- The 1619 Project, The New York Times Magazine
- “Who Gets to Be Afraid in America” by Ibram X. Kendi, The Atlantic
- Articles by Ta-Nehisi Coates, The Atlantic
- “Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race” by Reni Eddo-Lodge, The Guardian
Additional Resources (Movies, Podcasts, and more)
- 13th, Netflix | YouTube
- When They See Us, Netflix
- American Son, Netflix
- See You Yesterday, Netflix
- Malcolm X, Netflix
- The Hate U Give, Amazon Prime Video
- 1619, The New York Times Podcast Apple Podcasts | Spotify
- Code Switch, NPR Podcast Apple Podcasts | Spotify
- Pod Save the People, Podcast Apple Podcasts | Spotify
- Toni Morrison’s Nobel Lecture
Access to OverDrive/Libby is available to all Minuteman card holders.
Access to Hoopla and Kanopy is limited to Acton residents. Other residents may access these resources through their home library's subscriptions or by registering for a Boston Public Library e-card.