“Juneteenth is a significant date in American history and the African American experience,” writes Mary Elliott, a curator at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History & Culture. “The name is a play on the date of June 19th, 1865. On that day, the Union Army made its way into Galveston, TX under the leadership of General Gordon Granger, and he announced to the people of Texas that all enslaved African Americans were free.”
This was notably more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. This history and much more is discussed in-depth on the National Museum of African American History & Culture’s Juneteenth portal.
In honor of Juneteenth, Spokane Public Library reached out to community leaders in Spokane for book recommendations. Thank you to Cristina Aranda, Lisa Gardner, and Tracy Poindexter-Canton for the great selections, which you’ll find below, followed by additional library-recommended titles.
We also want to highlight Juneteenth events shared on the City of Spokane website:
- Miss Juneteenth Scholarship Program Pageant – This took place Saturday, June 6 at the Spokane Community College Auditorium
This event crowned the 2026 Miss Juneteenth Queen, Michaela Dauo of Rogers High School. Princesses include Makayla Roberson of Lewis & Clark High School, Mojo Elewodalu of Lewis & Clark High School, and Sadie Troutt of Gonzaga Preparatory School. Congrats to all!
- Juneteenth Park Celebration – Friday, June 19, 12 – 4 p.m., North Bank of Riverfront Park
This year, the Inland Northwest Juneteenth Coalition’s Juneteenth Celebration is at Riverfront Park! There will be live music, entertainment, food, local vendors, and more.
- Juneteenth Celebration – Saturday, June 20, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., MLK Community Center
Join the MLK Community Center for a community-wide Juneteenth celebration! Enjoy food, music, raffle prizes, and more!
- Pillar Awards – Saturday, June 20, 6 p.m. social hour & 7 p.m. program start, The Fox The Annual Pillar Awards celebrate those who help uplift the African American community in Spokane. This night will be full of culture, education, community, and fun! RSVP for this free event.
And remember, all Spokane Public Library locations are closed on June 19th to celebrate the holiday.
Community Leaders Booklist
Cristina Aranda was a librarian in Utah (we love library people!) and now is the owner of The Plucky Duck, Spokane’s premier soap-making shop and “upcycling hub.” She recommends the following books:
On Juneteenth by Annette Gordon-Reed
Aranda says, “This traces the history behind Juneteenth’s emergence as a celebration of freedom, weaving together historical records and the author’s own family experience in Texas. It’s an ideal starting point for anyone looking to understand the significance of the holiday.”
The Juneteenth Story: Celebrating the End of Slavery in the United States by Alliah L. Agostini
Aranda says, “The Juneteenth Story: Celebrating the End of Slavery in the United States by Alliah L. Agostini is a beautifully accessible picture book for families to read together. It traces the holiday’s journey from its origins all the way to its recognition as an official national celebration, making it a wonderful way to open the conversation with younger readers.”
Watermelon & Red Birds: A Cookbook for Juneteenth and Black Celebrations by Nicole A. Taylor
Aranda says, “Watermelon & Red Birds: A Cookbook for Juneteenth and Black Celebrations by Nicole A. Taylor is a perfect pick for anyone who connects with culture through food. Cooking has always been one of the most intimate ways to learn about a people’s traditions and history, and since Juneteenth is fundamentally an American holiday celebrating freedom, it feels right that all Americans should know how to make the meals that mark that celebration.”
Lisa Gardner, Director of Communications and Community Engagement for Spokane City Council and the current President of the NAACP Spokane, recommends:
Harlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher
Gardner says, “This is a historical novel that is set in 1920s Harlem and follows an editor, Jessie, who is a catalyst for the emergence of NAACP’s Crisis Magazine and other great writers and poets of the Harlem Renaissance.”
Black AF History by Michael Harriott
Gardner says, “This is the story of America from the Black perspective, centering Black experiences in early American history.”
Tracy Poindexter-Canton is a celebrated mixed-media artist here in Spokane. Many of her works are or have been showcased at Spokane Public Library (check out her Toni Morrison-inspired pieces at the Liberty Park Library). She recommends:
The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
Pointdexter-Canton says, “Juneteenth marks the announcement of freedom. The Warmth of Other Suns explores what happened afterward, showing how generations of Black Americans continued the pursuit of the freedom, dignity, and opportunity that emancipation promised.
The Warmth of Other Suns is highly relevant to Juneteenth because it helps tell the story of what freedom looked like for Black Americans after emancipation and how the legacy of slavery continued to shape their lives for generations.
In the book, Isabel Wilkerson chronicles the experiences of Black Americans who left the South during the Great Migration, seeking greater opportunity, safety, and dignity in other parts of the United States. The book demonstrates that legal freedom did not immediately bring equality, economic opportunity, or protection from racial violence.
The stories Wilkerson shares reveal how many Black families continued to face segregation, disenfranchisement, and limited opportunities decades after emancipation. In that sense, the book extends the story of Juneteenth beyond the moment of freedom itself and explores the ongoing pursuit of the promises that freedom was meant to provide.
Spokane Public Library also recommends:
28 Days by Charles R. Smith Jr., illustrated by Shane W. Evans
A Flag for Juneteenth by Kim Taylor
Black Boy Joy by Kwame Mbalia
Black Liturgies by Cole Arthur Riley
Daughters of Jubilation by Kara Lee Corthron
First Freedom: The Story of Opal Lee and Juneteenth by Angélique Roché
Free at Last by Sojourner Kincaid Rolle, illustrated by Alex Bostic
Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Baldez
Heart and Soul by Kadir Nelson
Juneteenth Is by Natasha Tripplett, illustrated by Daniel J. O’Brien
Juneteenth with Yasmin by Saadia Faruqi, illlustrated by Debby Rahmalia
Juneteenth by Kevin P. Winn with Kelisa Wing
The Juneteenth Alphabet by Andrea Underwood Petifer, illustrated by Ana Latese
This Here is Love by Princess Joy L. Perry
Opal Lee and What it Means to Be Free by Alice Faye Duncan, art by Keturah A. Bobo
The Seven Daughters of Dupree by Nikesha Elise Williams
