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deRubertis LET’S CELEBRATE & JUNETEENTH KANE PRESS

New titles! New GRADES 1–4 New editions! New INTEREST LEVEL: INTEREST LEVEL: series: eroes & H heroes heroes EMANCIPATION DAY & JUNETEENTH DAY EMANCIPATION & & &

to view all titles! olidays H Visit www.kanepress.com www.kanepress.com Visit brings to life the people whose holidays whose holidays life the people brings to Midwest Book Review Book —Midwest eroes supports and extends reading skills supports and extends ◆ and fought for freedom from from slavery fought for freedom Truth and Sojourner They fought with speeches, . African for all missions! Every year and even daring rescue writings, we honor Juneteenth, on both Emancipation Day and and equality. and continue their fight for freedom Let’s Celebrate Let’s Douglass, Frederick Tubman, Abolitionists like Harriet Y & H holidays holidays behind our holidays and the people they honor. behind our holidays Each book in the Each book in the 50795

1 “The Holidays & Heroes series…is highly recommended.” “The Holidays & Heroes series…is olidays images, books in this series will engage children in the stories children in the will engage books in this series images, includes website activities that enrich the learning experience activities that enrich the learning includes website provides visual context using artwork, photos, and other images photos, context using artwork, provides visual ◆ H tells the engaging story of the people and events behind a story of the people and events tells the engaging ◆ of King’s ideals of fairness and equality, not only in January but all not only in January ideals of fairness and equality, of King’s we celebrate throughout the year. Enriched with colorful historical with colorful Enriched the year. throughout we celebrate ◆ “This reader-friendly nonfiction may inspire further inquiry into the nonfiction may inspire further inquiry into the “This reader-friendly 920611 life of [Martin Luther King Jr.] and may encourage kids to be mindful and may encourage life of [Martin Luther King Jr.] Let’s Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day) Martin Luther King Jr. Celebrate Booklist (for Let’s year round.”—

781635 LET'S CELEBRATE EMANCIPATION DA EMANCIPATION LET'S CELEBRATE

ISBN-13: 978-1-63592-061-

The popular popular The series returns! series 9 Dear Parents and Educators, Additional series from Kane Press

We hope you enjoy Holidays & Heroes! Animal Antics A to Z® (Grades PreK–2 • Ages 3–8) Winner of two Learning Magazine Teachers’ Choice Awards Each book in this series tells the story of an important American “A great product for any class learning about letters!”—Teachers’ Choice Award reviewer holiday and the hero or heroes who are honored on that day. With richly detailed information presented simply for children, and with How to Be an Earthling® (Grades 1–3 • Ages 6–9) Winner of a Moonbeam Children’s Book Award for Best Chapter Book Series the integration of colorful original illustrations, photographs, and “I’m so glad Spork landed on ! His misadventures are playful and sweet, and other historical images, we have designed the new editions of this I love the clever wordplay!”—Becca Zerkin, former children’s book reviewer for the Times Book Review and School Library Journal popular Kane Press series to appeal to today’s young learners. We have also added new titles to spark further curiosity about our Let’s Read Together® (Grades PreK–3 • Ages 4–8) “Storylines are silly and inventive, and recall Dr. Seuss’s Cat in the Hat for the nation’s holidays. building of rhythm and rhyming words.”—School Library Journal

Author Barbara deRubertis, with over 30 years of experience as Makers Make It WorkTM (Grades K–3 • Ages 5–8) “All titles from the Makers Make It Work series encourage creativity and also a teacher and librarian, understands children’s deep-seated desire support STEAM initiatives. Highly recommended.”—Children’s Bookwatch to read and learn. It is our sincere hope that Holidays & Heroes Math Matters® (Grades K–3 • Ages 5–8) will engage, inform, inspire, and motivate children by helping Winner of a Learning Magazine Teachers’ Choice Award them connect to the people and events that make up an integral “These cheerfully illustrated titles offer primary-grade children practice in math as well as reading.”—Booklist part of our country’s history. The Milo & Jazz Mysteries® (Grades 2–5 • Ages 7–11) Happy reading—and learning! Book Links’ Best New Books for the Classroom “Gets it just right.”—Booklist, starred review (for The Case of the Stinky Socks) —The Kane Press Team Mouse Math® (Grades PreK & up • Ages 4 & up) “The Mouse Math series is a great way to integrate math and into your early childhood curriculum. My students thoroughly enjoyed these books.” Visit www.kanepress.com to see all titles in the Holidays & Heroes series: —Teaching Children Mathematics

Let’s Celebrate Let’s Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day Science Solves It!® (Grades K–3 • Ages 5–8) Let’s Celebrate Constitution Day Let’s Celebrate “The Science Solves It! series is a wonderful tool for the elementary teacher who Let’s Celebrate Let’s Celebrate New Year’s Day wants to integrate reading and science.”—National Science Teachers Association Let’s Celebrate Let’s Celebrate Presidents’ Day Social Studies Connects® (Grades K–3 • Ages 5–8) Let’s Celebrate Emancipation Day Let’s Celebrate Thanksgiving Day “This series is very strongly recommended. . . .”—Children’s Bookwatch & Juneteenth Let’s Celebrate “Well done!”—School Library Journal Let’s Celebrate Independence Day Let’s Celebrate Women’s Equality Day Let’s Celebrate .com Let’s Celebrate EMANCIPATION DAY & JUNETEENTH

by Barbara deRubertis

Kane Press New York For activities and resources for this book and merican history is filled with stories of others in the Holidays & Heroes series, visit: A www.kanepress.com/holidays-and-heroes people working for noble causes—like freedom, justice, and equality. Text copyright © 2018 by Barbara deRubertis Photographs/images copyrights: Cover: © Jacob 09/Shutterstock; page 1: © Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock; page 3: © But there was also a terrible part of America’s Billy Calzada/Zumapress/Newscom; page 4: © Everett Historical/Shutterstock; page 5: © Everett Historical/Shutterstock; page 6 top: © National Archives/NARA; page 6 bottom: © Razoom Game/Shutterstock; page 7: © The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Photography Collection, The New York Public Library; page 8 top: © Library of history called slavery. This allowed people to Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, LC-USZ62-40758; page 8 inset 1: © Neftali/Shutterstock; page 8 inset 2: © Rook 76/Shutterstock; page 8 inset 3: © Neftali/Shutterstock; page 9: © Everett Historical/Shutterstock; page 10: © Library own other people—as if they were property. of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, LC-DIG-pga-03004; page 10 inset: © Everett Collection Inc/Alamy Stock Photo; page 11: © Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, LC-USZ62-93268; page 12: © Architect of the Capitol/ Artis Lane, sculptor; page 13: © Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, LC-DIG-ppmsca-52069; page 14: © It took about 250 years, a war, and three kinds Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, LC-DIG-ppmsca-54230; page 15: © Everett Historical/Shutterstock; page 16: © Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, LC-DIG-pga-03235; page 16 inset: © Rainer Lesniewski/ of legal action to finally end slavery. Shutterstock; page 17: © Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, LC-DIG-ppmsca-19241; page 18: © Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, LC-DIG-ppmsca-18444; page 19: © Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, LC-DIG-ds-0; page 20: © MPVHistory/Alamy Stock Photo; page 21: © Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs The freeing of enslaved people is called Division, LC-DIG-ppmsca-34584; page 22: © ’s/Library of Congress, LOC-LC-USZ62-127599; page 23 top: © Everett Historical/Shutterstock; page 23 inset: © Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, LC-DIG-ds-03296; page 24: “Emancipation.” It is celebrated on two different © Tom Williams/Roll Call Photos/Newscom; page 25: © Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, LC-DIG- pga-02797; page 26: © Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, LC-DIG-pga-08518; page 26 inset: © Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, LC-DIG-cwpb-05697; page 27: © Calyx22 | Dreamstime.com; page 28: © Steve dates in our country. The District of Columbia Gonzales/ Chronicle/Associated Press; page 29: © Viktoria Hodos/Shutterstock; page 30: © Melissa Lyttle/Zuma Press/ Newscom; page 31: ©Ricky Fitchett/Zuma Press/Newscom; page 32: © Jacob 09/Shutterstock; back cover: celebrates on 16th. and 45 other © Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock All due diligence has been conducted in identifying copyright holders and obtaining permissions. states celebrate on 19th—or “Juneteenth.” All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission Young girls celebrate Juneteenth in Texas. in writing from the publisher. For information regarding permission, contact the publisher through its website: www. kanepress.com.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: deRubertis, Barbara, author. Title: Let’s celebrate Emancipation Day & Juneteenth / by Barbara deRubertis. Description: New York : Kane Press, 2018. | Series: Holidays & heroes Identifiers: LCCN 2017051917 (print) | LCCN 2017052195 (ebook) | ISBN 9781635920628 (ebook) | ISBN 9781635920604 (reinforced library binding : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781635920611 (pbk. : alk. paper) Subjects: LCSH: Juneteenth--Juvenile literature. | Slaves--Emancipation--Texas--Anniversaries, etc.--Juvenile literature. | Slaves--Emancipation----Anniversaries, etc.--Juvenile literature. | --Anniversaries, etc.--Juvenile literature. Classification: LCC E185.93.T4 (ebook) | LCC E185.93.T4 D47 2018 (print) | DDC 326/.809764--dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017051917

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First published in the United States of America in 2018 by Kane Press, Inc. Printed in China Like us on Facebook facebook.com/kanepress Book Design and Photograph/Image Research: Maura Taboubi Follow us on Visit us online at www.kanepress.com. @KanePress

3 White owners in the South bought the largest numbers of slaves. The huge cotton fields there required a lot of hard work. The owners came to depend on slaves to get the work done.

Enslaved Africans are sold at auction.

Africans are brought to America to be sold as slaves.

How Did Slavery Begin in America?

Traders brought the first African slaves to the American colonies in 1619. As time passed, more and more free black Africans were captured and shipped across the in chains. Those who survived were sold in slave markets. If enslaved people later had children, they were slaves too. These children were often taken away from their parents and sold.

4 5 On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed. It said that the American colonies had formed a new country—the United States of America. The Declaration also said that “all men are created equal.” But this “equality” certainly did not include slaves! And what about everyone having the rights to “life, Child slaves in a cotton field liberty, and the pursuit of Many people thought slavery should be happiness”? abolished—or ended. By 1804, all the northern Well, that states had either ended slavery or were didn’t include beginning to end it gradually. For example, all slaves, either. children born in after 1780 were free, even if their parents were enslaved. But the states in the South would not give up their slaves.

A slave in shackles

6 7

Born into slavery, Frederick Douglass learned to read as a child. This would be a key to his future success. Teaching a slave to read was illegal. But this didn’t stop Douglass. He began teaching other slaves to read. The plantation owners found out . . . and were furious. They put an end to that! Douglass escaped from slavery at age 20. Soon he joined the abolitionists in their work.

Harriet Tubman stamp Frederick Douglass stamp Above: Declaration of the Sojourner Truth stamp Anti-Slavery Convention, 1833

During the 1800s, many abolitionists worked together to end slavery. The abolitionists were black and white, women and men. Three of the most famous were Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, and . Frederick Douglass

8 9 Over and over again, Douglass would ask, “What is the very worst thing slave owners do to their slaves?” People expected him to answer that it was the horrid, brutal

treatment the slaves African Americans shake hands with Douglass often suffered. But in his office in city hall, 1877. Douglass would answer, “Slave owners won’t allow their slaves to be educated!” The most famous speech Douglass gave was “What, to the American Slave, Is the 4th of July?” He pointed out that enslaved people were not enjoying the rights listed in the Declaration of Independence. Slaves were NOT being treated as equals. And they were NOT enjoying life, liberty, and Douglass was a gifted speaker and writer. the pursuit of happiness. Douglass said, “This He gave powerful speeches at anti-slavery Fourth of July is yours, not mine.” meetings. He published an important anti- Frederick Douglass was an example of the slavery newspaper. And his three books about greatness that former slaves could achieve—if his own life became bestsellers. they were educated and free. Left: A print from 1883 honors the achievements of several former slaves, including Frederick Douglass. Inset: Frederick Douglass published and wrote for the anti-slavery newspaper The North Star.

10 11 Sojourner Truth

Sojourner Truth was born into slavery in New York. But she was freed as a young woman. She spent most of her life fighting for women’s rights and for an end to slavery. Truth was a powerful woman. At six feet tall, she immediately got people’s attention. But it was her speeches and her way of expressing ideas that made people listen. Truth also had a deep, beautiful singing voice. When she gave a speech, she often sang songs she had written. In this way, she reached people’s hearts as well as their minds. She once said, “I tell you I can’t read a book, but I can read . . . people.”

A bust of Sojourner Truth in the U.S. Capitol Sojourner Truth

12 13 This railroad was not really underground, and it had no tracks or trains. It was a secret network of people who helped runaway slaves reach freedom. Tubman made 19 trips into southern slave states. She led 300 slaves to northern free states or to . Their dangerous journeys were made mostly in the dark of night, following the North Star. And Harriet Tubman never lost a single “passenger” on her railroad.

People escape slavery on the , 1863

Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman was more famous for her abolitionist actions than for her words. Tubman was only five feet tall, but she was fierce! Tubman escaped from slavery in 1849, when she was 29 years old. She then worked for ten years as a “conductor” for the “Underground Railroad.”

14 was President of the The argument about slavery grew into a war United States during between the northern and southern states—the this difficult time. Early Civil War. in the war, Lincoln The northern states opposed slavery. They worked with Congress were still the United States of America. to pass a Compensated The southern states wanted to keep slavery. Emancipation Act. Abraham Lincoln They formed a new country—the Confederate meant that slave States of America. owners would be paid for each freed slave. This act would apply only to slaves in the District of Columbia and in four “border states” (on the border between the North and the South). Lincoln believed this peaceful solution to slavery could end the war. But none of the border states accepted his offer.

Left: A Civil War battle Map: The United States when the war began in 1861 Green: Union states without slavery Yellow: Union states with slavery Red: Confederate states Purple: Territories

17 On January 1, 1863, President Tubman was already working for the Union Lincoln signed an executive order called Army. Now she was asked to sneak a regiment the Emancipation Proclamation. It freed of former slaves into Confederate territory. The all the slaves in the Confederate States. raid’s purpose was to rescue slaves. And it was But the proclamation could only be mighty dangerous! enforced in those areas where Lincoln’s The result? More than 700 slaves were was in control. rescued! And over 100 of them joined the So . . . Harriet Tubman came to the Union Army. rescue! Harriet Tubman was the only woman to lead a military operation during the Civil War.

African American soldiers in the Union Army

Harriet Tubman

20 21 Slavery did not officially end until after the Civil War ended. On January 31, 1865, Congress passed the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. It made slavery illegal. At least 27 of the 36 states had to ratify—or approve—the 13th Amendment. This happened on December 6, 1865. Slavery was finally ended everywhere in the United States. But the freed slaves were not entirely free. . . . Sadly, many new laws were passed that limited the former slaves’ freedom.

Passing the 13th Amendment in the House of Representatives Above: A theatre for African Americans Right: A “whites-only” taxi

The laws were called “Black Codes.” They made it difficult for African Americans to be educated, to earn fair wages, or to about freely. Even in the North, African Americans were often segregated—or separated—from other people in public places. It took America another 100 years to outlaw unfair treatment of people based on the color of their skin. And this work is not finished!

22 23 When and Where Is Emancipation Celebrated?

The District of Columbia Emancipation Day

The District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act was signed on April 16, 1862. So April 16th was chosen as “D.C. Emancipation Day.” It is celebrated only in D.C. Emancipation Parades Emancipation Parade in , D.C. were held in Washington, D.C., from 1866 until 1901. After that, there were no parades for 100 years. The parades were brought back in 2002. They are now grander than ever! Many events have been added to the celebration, from concerts to fireworks. In 2004, April 16th became an official holiday in D.C.

The Emancipation Proclamation

24 25 “Juneteenth” in Texas On , 1865, after the Civil War had ended, Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, The State of Texas celebrates emancipation Texas. General read Lincoln’s every year on June 19th—or “Juneteenth.” Why? Emancipation Proclamation aloud. More than 250,000 slaves were freed in Texas that day. They had not heard about the Emancipation Proclamation signed by President Lincoln two years earlier!

Above: Reading the Emancipation Proclamation A Juneteenth parade in Houston, Texas Right: General Gordon Granger

26 27 African Americans purchased land and Juneteenth celebrations include music, built parks in Texas so they could celebrate speeches, ball games, and picnics with red food Juneteenth. and drinks. But why red? Emancipation Park in Houston is the oldest Red is a symbol of enslaved peoples’ courage. of these parks. Former slaves collected $800 So in Texas and elsewhere, Juneteenth picnics to buy the land in 1872. Recently, $34 million feature red food and drinks—like , red was spent on a spectacular make-over. velvet cake, strawberry pie—and red soda pop! Booker T. Washington Park on the shores of Lake Mexia is another Juneteenth park. As many as 20,000 people gather here each year during the week-long celebration.

A child playing on a new basketball court in Emancipation Park, Houston

28 Juneteenth celebrations serve a number of • All Americans can discuss ways to solve important purposes. current problems caused by the long- • Families can gather for annual reunions. lasting effects of slavery. • Children can learn about slavery and the • Everyone can enjoy a day—or a week—of long struggle for emancipation. music, games, food, and fun!

• African Americans can celebrate their Celebrating Juneteenth in Pennsylvania history, culture, and achievements.

A Juneteenth celebration in Florida

30 31 In 1979, Juneteenth became an official state holiday in Texas. And Juneteenth celebrations have now spread to 45 other states. The National Juneteenth Holiday Campaign is working to make Juneteenth a national holiday, celebrated in all 50 states. Juneteenth would be like a 4th of July for African Americans! Frederick Douglass would approve.

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