“That on the 1st day of January, in the year of our Lord 1863, all persons held as slaves within any state or designated part of a state, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free . . .
And I further declare and make known that such persons of suitable condition will be received into the armed service of the United States to garrison [station troops in] forts, positions, stations, and other places, and to man vessels of all sorts in said service.”
—Abraham Lincoln
Emancipation Proclamation, 1863
Well, everybody did not get that Freedom Message in 1863. Check out the many resource available to commemorate Juneteenth.
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K-8 Video Resources
In these Studies Weekly Resource Videos, students can make direct connections to the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln, and the Emancipation Proclamation.
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In this Flocabulary lesson, students will learn the origins and traditions of Juneteenth, a holiday Americans observe every year. It first became a state holiday in Texas, where enslaved people learned they had been freed on June 19, 1865. Juneteenth is a day to celebrate with friends and family and honor the struggles and joys of formerly enslaved people and their descendants.
Grades 3-8 Resource
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In this 6-12 resource students can delve deeper into the thoughts and actions of the people during that time.
“ We were working one day when somebody… came by and told us we were free, and we stopped working…. The boss man came up, and he said he was going to knock us off the fence if we didn’t go back to work…. He called for his carriage, and said he was going to town to see what the government was going to do. Next day he came back and said, ‘Well, you are just as free as I am.’”
In this 6-12 resource lesson plan, students can actively engage with the text and find support for their thinking.
In this 6-12 resource, student can extend their knowledge and uncover what Juneteenth really is about.
Grade 6-12th Grade Resources