Fountaindale Public Library

Juneteenth, the Story Behind the Celebration, by Edward T. Cotham, Jr

eng

Includes bibliographical references and index

illustrations

index present

non fiction

Juneteenth

bibliographydictionaries

1256261104

by Edward T. Cotham, Jr

the Story Behind the Celebration

Juneteenth has been touted as a national day celebrating the end of slavery. Observances from coast to coast have turned this event into part of the national conversation about race, slavery, and how Americans understand, acknowledge, and explain what has been called the national "original sin." But, why Juneteenth? Where did this celebration--which promises to become a national holiday--come from? What is the origin story? What are the facts, and legends, around this important day in the nation's history? This is the first scholarly book to delve into the history behind 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. This book will captivate people interested in the history of emancipation and African American history but also those interested in Civil War and Texas history. As the United States continues to wrestle with race relations and the meaning of full equality, Juneteenth promises to become an important expression of that equality--an Independence Day celebration in its own right, a couple of weeks in advance of the traditional July 4th Holiday. This book will be a welcome addition to classrooms, book clubs and general readers interested in this once obscure regional event now destined for the national spotlight. --, Provided by publisher

List of Images -- Preface -- Introduction -- Chapter 1: Slavery and Texas -- Chapter 2: Lincoln and the Approaching War -- Chapter 3: Slavery and the Army -- Chapter 4: Port Royal and the First General Order -- Chapter 5: Butler and Louisiana -- Chapter 6: Lincoln and the Emancipation Proclamation -- Chapter 7: Into the Heart of the Confederacy -- Chapter 8: The Hundred Days and Lincoln's Final Emancipation Proclamation -- Chapter 9: Implementing Emancipation -- Chapter 10: The Beginning of the End -- Chapter 11: Sherman's March to the Sea -- Chapter 12: The Hampton Roads Peace Conference -- Chapter 13: The End is in Sight -- Chapter 14: The "New Order of Things" -- Chapter 15: Louisiana -- Chapter 16: Preparing the Way -- Chapter 17: Texas -- Chapter 18: Gordon Granger -- Chapter 19: "Just like that, we were free." -- Chapter 20: Problems Surrounding First Freedom -- Chapter 21: Spreading the Word through Texas -- Chapter 22: Legacy of Juneteenth -- Notes -- Sources Consulted -- Index

adult