Juneteenth at NYPL
Discover free events, books, and resources exploring Juneteenth, the holiday that commemorates the day the Emancipation Proclamation reached enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865.
Free Events for All Ages
Join The New York Public Library for free events for kids, teens, and adults including book discussions, trivia, film screenings, arts & crafts, and more exploring Juneteenth.
Recommended Reads
Find new and classic titles that explore the significance of Juneteenth, the history of slavery, and the ongoing fight for justice for Black lives.
Researching Historic Juneteenth Celebrations
Look back at Juneteenth celebrations and events of the past as reported in popular historic African-American newspapers, all available through The New York Public Library's electronic resources.
Lapidus Center for the Historical Analysis of Transatlantic Slavery
The Lapidus Center for the Historical Analysis of Transatlantic Slavery at NYPL's Schomburg Center generates and disseminates scholarly knowledge on the slave trade, slavery, and anti-slavery in the Atlantic World.
Subversion & The Art of Slavery Abolition
Available to view online, this exhibition highlights several of the ways that abolitionists engaged with the arts to agitate for enslaved people’s liberty in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Explore the Library’s Treasures
The Polonsky Exhibition of The New York Public Library’s Treasures showcases some of the most extraordinary items from the 56 million in our collections. Free to experience at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building and online, the exhibition includes works about slavery and emancipation such as Narrative of Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass’s My Bondage and My Freedom, and Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman.
Racial Equity Resources for Educators
Navigate difficult conversations, challenge bias, and create an inclusive space for your students to process current events.
Researching Black Heritage with NYPL's E-Resources
The New York Public Library has created this list of online resources to help you explore all aspects of Black heritage—from genealogy to LGBT history to current popular culture.
More Black Culture Resources
Discover reading recommendations, research resources, and more related to Black culture and history, curated by our expert librarians and Library staff.
Watch Now! Juneteenth Conversations
Revisit these recorded conversations between notable writers, curators, historians, and thinkers on topics ranging from the aftermath of the Civil War to medicine in the age of Atlantic slavery.
Summery Cookbooks for Juneteenth & Beyond
Dive into recipes for seasonal foods, gatherings with family and friends, and meal ideas for the summer.
Watch Now! Juneteenth Freedom Writing with Fyütch
Learn about the legacy and history of the Juneteenth holiday through writing and activities with music and social justice artist Fyütch.
Juneteenth Book List for Kids
Explore a list of books recommended for younger kids by the Library’s Teen Reading Ambassadors that illuminate the lives of historic African American figures, both before and after Emancipation.
The Schomburg Center's Black Liberation Reading List
Throughout its history, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture has preserved, protected, and fostered a greater understanding of the Black experience through its collections, exhibitions, programs, and scholarship. The Schomburg Center’s Black Liberation Reading List, created in response to the uprisings across the globe demanding justice for Black lives, includes books we and the public turn to regularly as activists, students, archivists, and curators, with a particular focus on books by Black authors and those whose papers we steward.
Most of them are available digitally for free via The New York Public Library’s free e-reader app, SimplyE, available for iOS and Android. Many are also available from The Schomburg Shop, along with a dedicated array of books and materials chronicling global Black culture.
Learn More About the Schomburg Center
Founded in 1925 and named a National Historic Landmark in 2017, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture is one of the world’s leading cultural institutions devoted to the research, preservation, and exhibition of materials focused on African American, African Diaspora, and African experiences.
Connect with the Schomburg Center
Sign up for the latest news, events, exhibitions, and programs from the Library’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.
Explore the Schomburg Shop
Visit the Schomburg Shop and see a selection of books, clothing items, tote bags, mugs, and more created by Black and Brown artists for all ages.
Support the Schomburg Center
Schomburg Society members receive discounts, invitations to exclusive events, and more!
Get a Digital Library Card
With a digital library card you get free access to the Library’s wide array of digital resources—including e-books, databases, educational resources, and more.
Get Started with SimplyE
Download the NYPL App
Get the power of The New York Public Library, anytime, anywhere. With the NYPL app, you can access everything the Library has to offer from home or while you’re on the go. Plus, use the app’s self-checkout feature for contactless checkout in branches.
