Question from a white librarian:

[intheflow]

My coworkers are working on a Juneteenth book display. They want to include books on the MLK, Jr. Civil Rights era. I feel strongly that it's not appropriate, as that happened 100 years after Juneteenth. To me, this holiday is about emancipation and Reconstruction. My coworkers insist that including more modern civil rights movements underscores the lack of progress in racial equity.

We are all white, though I have a deep background in antiracism work going back 35 years. Conflating all eras of Civil rights feels like a kind of white-washing of Black history, or maybe it's more like flattening Black history into a single narrative. I mean, I know it's all the same struggle and also know that movements have different eras that need to be respected to fully understand history (and thus, our current situation). What say you, hive mind?

Thanks in advance,
itf

[LakeArenal]

1. You have all that background. Most people don't.

But call up the minister at a local black church. Ask a black historian at the university. They probably could give you some great additional sources to add.

[intheflow]

3. I've posted the question in several antiracist librarian groups

And have received radio silence. I can reach out to a university professor, tho. That’s a great idea! Thank you.

[LakeArenal]

5. It's all so important.

I grew up in a very homogeneous white world. My parents both racists.

I didn’t get any racial information until I went to UW Madison. I bless my choice for college.

[3Hotdogs]

2. I'm not black. But why not "then and now'' sections?

[intheflow]

4. Because that's Black history and contemporary society,

not Juneteenth. It's what we do every February for Black History Month. And mind you, I will often see slave narratives/slavery history in displays for MLK Day, which diminishes the brilliance of King's work and again, waters his message to a single narrative: Black people were slaves, end of story/history for too many white people.

[qwlauren35]

8. I like that idea.

If you can, dig hard for information about Texas and the Civil War. The history behind Juneteenth is pretty awful. Texas was not backing down without a fight.

I think you may have difficulty finding things that are specific to Juneteenth, and that may be why people talk about mixing things. However, Juneteenth is a good time to explore the history of black people in the Midwest, so if you have a section on that, consider getting books on the Buffalo Soldiers and the Black Cowboys.

[intheflow]

9. Yes, part of the problem is lack of resources specific to Juneteenth.

Especially as I'm in Massachusetts, where pickings on Texas history are slim. That's why I've included reconstruction. The Buffalo soldiers and Black cowboys are a good place to look for more books. Thank you!

[LoisB]

6. I am Black and I agree with you.

[intheflow]

7. Thanks, LoisB.

[qwlauren35]

10. Juneteenth - An Article

Hi itf,
I'm going to be writing a blog on Juneteenth and have done a LOT of digging into its history, and Texas' history involving the Civil War. I found this article: https://www.historians.org/research-and-publications/perspectives-on-history/summer-2021/a-juneteenth-dilemma-freedom-and-self-determination and thought it might be a good read for you.

When I read this article, I am struck by the reality that to understand Juneteenth, you have to understand Texas and its role in the Civil War, the effects of the Emancipation Proclamation, and the effects of the 13th Amendment on the lives of black people in a historical context.

So, instead of Juneteenth getting broader, it gets narrower.

And I am truly struck by the difficulty you're going to face in promoting it without available materials.

So here is an idea. Instead of promoting books that you don't have, promote Juneteenth articles with pictures. Just make copies and put them in holders. Articles about the history of Juneteenth, the spread of Juneteenth Celebrations. Perhaps the importance of the 13th Amendment, or the end of the Civil War. Also articles about the lives of the newly freed African-Americans. I think doing some searches on potential articles will give you a wealth of information to make up for the fact that the books don't exist yet - and may not exist for another few years.

I am convinced that the focus of a Juneteenth exhibit should be around the year 1865 as it relates to African-American history. It's going to take time to educate Americans on why African-Americans have been celebrating Juneteenth, and what it really meant.

BTW - Juneteenth is an appeasement holiday. It would have never been created if not for George Floyd and Black Lives Matter, and a bone thrown by the government to offer some acknowledgement of African-American history. It is certainly not a solution to our problems and the issue of institutional racism, which is what we truly need.

[intheflow]

11. Thank you so much for this thoughtful post!

I agree, it’s an appeasement holiday, an appropriation of a local Black tradition so politicians say they did something to prove Black lives matter to the US. Complete bullshit. But we wouldn’t be having this discussion and making library displays to inform the public and my coworkers about the meaning of Juneteenth, so… progress?

Off to read your link now. We may not be able to include many articles due to copyright but I’ll bet the African American Historical Society is a good source for free-use articles. Excellent suggestions all around. Thank you!

[intheflow]

12. Adding: I just read the article and think I might have read it before.

If not this article, something voicing similar concerns. If I hadn’t, I’m sure my white ass wouldn’t have considered this POV, which is why we’re having this discussion. It’s exhausting self-policing my whiteness, and it’s still not enough and no where near what my Black brothers and sisters go through their entire lives.

[qwlauren35]

13. I think you're cool.

You're thinking it through, you're asking the right questions, you're focusing in the right direction.

Ten years from now, Juneteenth will be another opportunity for car sale discounts. I hope we can make the most of it now while it is fresh and uncommercialized. If you focus on the history of Juneteenth and its meaning to African-Americans, you're doing just fine.