What is Juneteenth?
Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom commemorating June 19, 1865 when Union General Gordon Granger read the federal orders in Galveston, Texas, that all previously enslaved people in Texas were free.
Why is it important?
Although the Emancipation Proclamation was signed years earlier in 1863, it was not until Juneteenth in 1865 that the last of the remaining enslaved African Americans were freed.
Want to learn more?
June 19th. It's an important day to know. It is the day that celebrates the freedom of the last enslaved African Americans in the United States. They were freed on June 19, 1865, in Galveston, Texas. This was over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued, but African Americans in Texas had not yet heard the news that they were free. One reason was because the information was withheld by those who benefited from enslaved people. Plus, there were no telephones or computers, so information and news passed across the country slowly.
Learn More by Downloading Our Juneteenth Guide
In collaboration with BlackSpace NYC, University of Oklahoma Gibbs College of Architecture and with the support of Oklahoma Humanities, BlackSpace Oklahoma's Northeast Storytelling Project was created to explore community assets, values, identities, and ideas, within Black neighborhood spaces in Northeast Oklahoma City.
The project lives on in partnership with the Metropolitan Library System to continue to collect the stories of NE OKC.
Contribute your Northeast Oklahoma City story by contacting the Metro Library Special Collections & Research Department.
Hear Their Stories
Research Databases
Books & Documentaries
Events
Preserving Oklahoma History with the Black Living Legacy App
Learn about Oklahoma City's Black historical sites, legacies, and artifacts through this introduction to the Black Living Legacies app.
Want to make your reading score soar? Simply read! Reading for just 20 minutes a day is guaranteed to improve your reading skills. Children will have the opportunity to read one-on-one with our community volunteers, play word games, and get excited about reading.
Show up any time between 3:30 and 4:45 in the afternoon every Wednesday this summer to work on reaching your Summer Reading goal. Each week will include a fun theme and a prize for kids who participate!
Join us for an exciting and informative Juneteenth Trivia as we celebrate freedom, history, and culture!
Come and learn about the origins of Juneteenth, including the spreading of the Emancipation Proclamation and Black culture.
Juneteenth Creative Writing Chapbook
Have you always wanted to explore creative writing but never had the chance? Pick up one of our special Juneteenth creative writing chapbooks filled with creative writing exercises meant to strengthen your creative muscles!
Ralph Ellison will bring story times, Spoticus, crafts, and a game to the event.