CMU Libraries celebrates Juneteenth

Central Michigan University Libraries is excited to take part in the celebration of Juneteenth. Celebrated every June 19th , Juneteenth became a national holiday in 2021, though it had been celebrated long before then. The Juneteenth holiday commemorates the arrival of Union Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger and his troops in Galveston Texas on June 19, 1865. Upon his arrival, Granger announced that the Civil War had ended, and all enslaved people were now free. Even though the Emancipation Proclamation was signed in 1863, it could not be fully enforced until after the end of the war. Juneteenth celebrates this hard-won fight for freedom and also celebrates African American culture and the contributions of notable African American figures. 

To educate others about the holiday, Central Michigan University Libraries has curated a collection about Juneteenth which is available for all to access. The collection includes many print and eBooks that document the history of Juneteenth, including its recent development as a national holiday. It also includes Ralph Ellison’s novel Juneteenth. Published in 1999, five years after Ellison’s death, this book documents the life of a fictional senator named Adam Sunraider. Through this narrative of Sunraider’s life, Ellison tells a story about the complexity of African American identity in the 20th century.  

CMU Libraries is excited to educate others about this holiday and participate in celebrations pertinent to Juneteenth. In addition to allowing us to celebrate how far we have come and the sacrifices that have been made to move forward, it also provides an opportunity to reflect on how we could do more. Academic libraries play an important role in educational achievement and success. We continue to learn how we can make libraries more welcoming spaces that serve as supporters of positive social change.