"The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere."
Juneteenth: The Story Behind the Celebration
Edward T. Cotham
A deep dive into the history of Juneteenth. Using decades of research in archives around the nation, this book helps separate myth from reality and tells the story behind the celebration in a way that provides new understanding and appreciation for the event.
Word by Word: Emancipation and the Act of Writing
Christopher Hager
An examination of the letters, diaries, petitions, and other writings by newly literate Black Americans pre- and post-emancipation.
Soul by Soul: Life Inside the Antebellum Slave Market
Walter Johnson
Soul by Soul tells the story of slavery in antebellum America by moving away from the cotton plantations and into the largest slave market in the nation.
Envisioning Emancipation Black Americans and the End of Slavery
Deborah Willis, Barbara Krauthamer
Collection of over 100 photographs from between 1850 and the 1930s documenting the lives of emancipated Black Americans.
All That She Carried: The Journey of Ashley's Sack, a Black Family Keepsake
Tiya Miles
Starting with an embroidered cotton sack, historian Tiya Miles works against archival silences to uncover a multigenerational story of loss and love, spanning from enslavement to the present.
This classic Southern cookbook and Netflix original documentary (based on a nonfiction book) pair perfectly as guides to celebrate and explore the richness of Black American culinary traditions.
| The Book: | The Doc: |
|---|---|
| The Taste of Country Cooking Edna Lewis |
High on the Hog Stephen Satterfield, Jessica B. Harris |
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A collection of 66 digitized recordings of interviews with formerly enslaved Black Americans narrating their experiences of enslavement and emancipation recorded between 1937 and 1975. See also: Faces and Voices from Presentation, a digital exhibit that features photographs of several interviewees.
- The Library of Congress
