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My Research of Juneteenth: Understanding Emancipation Celebrations

June 18th, 2024

Over the past few years, before Juneteenth became a national holiday, KU Libraries gave employees the day off as a Day of Reflection. We used this time to reflect on what we knew and learn more about African American history, understanding the history of emancipation.

This image has the text of the title.
Official souvenir program from the 23rd annual Emancipation Celebration in Dayton, Ohio, 1923. Marcus Hamilton Papers. Call Number: RH MS 667. Click image to enlarge.

I grew up in Battle Creek, Michigan. It wasn’t as big as Detroit or Grand Rapids, but it was a large city with a number of companies that kept the city in business. Battle Creek is where the Kellogg brothers and Charles W. Post invented cereal. Those companies employed the majority of Battle Creek’s population. It is also the place where Sojourner Truth is buried.

Having this connection to the Underground Railroad where I lived, I became more interested in history.  However, we learned about emancipation only from one view. 

This image has the text of the title with a black-and-white sketch of two African American men, one standing and one down on one knee.
The front cover of Freedom to the Free: Century of Emancipation, 1863-1963, a report to the President by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, 1963. Call Number: RH WL C10768. Click image to enlarge.
This image has text, including a list of events such as a rodeo, ball, bowling tournament, and jazz festival plus pageants, parades, exhibits, and speakers.
A flier for the 1963 Emancipation Celebration in Wichita, Kansas. Leonard Garrett Papers. Call Number: RH MS 689. Click image to enlarge.

From junior high to college, many of my classmates were African American. I also had teachers, principals, and a high school counselor who were Black. It was only when I lived in and traveled around the country that I became aware of the lack of diversity in many communities.

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A flier for the 1992 Juneteenth Celebration at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in Hartford, Connecticut. Personal Papers of Moses Gunn. Call Number: PP 463. Click image to enlarge.

Working at Spencer with our African American Experience collections, I have become more knowledgeable about history from the African American perspective.

Black ink sketch of people in a covered wagon pulled by horses with the text "Nicodemus Homecoming Celebration 1986 Participant," all against a green background.
A 1986 Homecoming Celebration ribbon from Nicodemus, Kansas. Nicodemus Historical Society Collection – Original Donations. Call Number: RH MS 545. Click image to enlarge.

When I began my research on Juneteenth, I could not find much information. A colleague mentioned that I should use “emancipation” as my search term instead. I wanted to learn the importance and history of the Juneteenth holiday. I found that emancipation celebrations were held on different days of the year in different locations. 

This image has text, primarily a list of events such as a jazz concert, dance, pancake breakfast, parade, and fashion/talent show.
A flier for the “Nicodemus 128th Emancipation Celebration and Nicodemus National Historic Site 10th Year Anniversary,” 2006. Nicodemus Historical Society Collection – Original Donations. Call Number: RH MS 545. Click image to enlarge.
Round button with a tan background, the text "Nicodemus Homecoming 2006," and a map of Kansas.
A 2006 Homecoming Celebration button from Nicodemus, Kansas. Nicodemus Historical Society Collection – Original Donations. Call Number: RH MS 545. Click image to enlarge.

With Juneteenth becoming a national holiday, I hope it is a catalyst for people understand and learn more about African American history from their perspective. Juneteenth is more than a day off work. It is a day to celebrate African American history and U.S. history to the present. 

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This image has the text of "Lift Every Voice and Sing" and the order of events in the program.
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This image has text about the significance and observance of Juneteenth.
A Juneteenth Celebration program, 2008. Records of the Topeka Council of Colored Women’s Clubs. Call Number: RH MS 1289. Click image to enlarge.

Researching our collections, I was able to find many documents on emancipation. This blog post is only a small sample from our holdings.

I encourage you to visit Spencer to see and touch the historical materials housed at the library. Spencer is free and open to the public. A reference librarian can work with you to find resources on emancipation, Juneteenth, and broader African American history in Kansas. See the library’s website for more information.  

See you soon!

Meredith Phares
Operations Manager

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