OUSD Celebrates Juneteenth: Honoring Our Roots, Celebrating Our Community

As we celebrate Juneteenth tomorrow, June 19, we honor a day of profound meaning for our nation and our city. Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 when the promise of freedom finally reached the last enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. It reminds us of the power and importance of hope, as the fight for freedom can often be a journey, not a destination.

The Bay Area has long been a hub for freedom and justice movements. As Black families journeyed west during the Great Migration seeking refuge and opportunity, they brought their Juneteenth celebrations with them, helping our region become among the first to formally honor the day of freedom. The spirit of Juneteenth is deeply embedded in Oakland's history—from the Port of Oakland, where Black workers organized for economic justice, to the legacy of the Black Panther Party that championed self-determination and community care.

Today, this legacy carries on in our students who lead Black Student Unions, who excel in our African American Male Achievement and African American Female Excellence programs, and who use their voices to advocate for a fairer and more equal world. They carry on a long tradition of Black excellence in Oakland.

Here are two of Oakland’s Juneteenth celebrations:

• June 19: Hella Juneteenth Festival at the Oakland Museum of California
• June 21: Lakefest Oakland at Lake Merritt

Reading List

Juneteenth for Mazie (Kinder - Grade 3)

Revolution in Our Time: The Black Panther Party’s Promise to the People (Grade 4-8)

A Long Time Coming: A Lyrical Biography of Race in America from Ona Judge to Barack Obama (Grade 8-12)

Max in the House of Spies: A Tale of the World War II (Grade 4-8)

When the Angels Left the Old Country (Grade 9-12)

To learn more, students can explore these books, available through the OUSD digital library, Sora.

If you want to learn more and/or get involved, we encourage our families to explore these resources to learn more about the history and celebration of Juneteenth:

• National Museum of African American History and Culture's Digital Toolkit
• African American Museum and Library at Oakland (AAMLO)
• Juneteenth: A Journey through History and Celebration on PBS

Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom, a recognition of history, and a call to action. We hope that you will honor the day with us, and always keep the hope.