ON JUNETEENTH

Karen Chilton narrates this audiobook, which blends the history of Juneteenth with the personal experiences of the author, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Annette Gordon-Reed. While Juneteenth is now observed nationally, the holiday's origins are firmly placed in Texas. On June 19, 1865, years after the Emancipation Proclamation and months after the official end of the Civil War, a Union general arrived in Galveston and brought news of the Confederacy's defeat and the end of slavery. Chilton effectively delivers a concise history lesson while also being attuned to the personal side of Gordon-Reed's work. Gordon-Reed's family is strongly tied to Texas, and her fondness for the state--despite its racial history and continuing struggles today--is perfectly captured in Chilton's spirited narration. A.T.N. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2021]