Freedom Day
Considered the longest-running African American holiday, Juneteenth has been celebrated by African Americans since the 1800s and became a federal holiday in 2021. A combination of the words "June" and "nineteenth," it is celebrated on the anniversary of the order, issued by Major General Gordon Granger on June 19, 1865, proclaiming freedom for slaves in Texas.
Please note: All Jacksonville Public Library locaitons will be closed on Friday June 19, in observance of Juneteenth Freedom Day. Pick up your books early or check them out via our Digital Library.
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History Chat: From the Lodge to the Courtroom with Jerry Urso
Historian Jerry Urso will discuss how Black lawyers, lawmakers, and Prince Hall Masons carved a path through slavery, Reconstruction, Jim Crow, and into the modern struggle for civil rights with an emphasis on Jacksonville leaders. An audience Q&A will follow the presentation. This program is made possible by a grant from the Mellon Foundation.
Save the date: 2 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, July 25, at Main Library
Did You Know?
The Juneteenth flag uses the colors red, white, and blue of the American flag to reinforce the message that all enslaved people and their descendants are American. The red on the bottom of the flag represents the blood shed by Black Americans who were enslaved. There is a "bursting star of freedom" featured prominently in the center of the flag as well as a horizontal arc (dividing the red and blue), which is meant to symbolize the new horizon of opportunity for Black people.
Note: Florida also celebrates Emancipation Day on May 20. Emancipation was proclaimed in Tallahassee on May 20, 1865, 11 days after the end of the Civil War, and two years after the Proclamation first issued by President Abraham Lincoln freed those enslaved in Southern states.
