“The caged bird sings with a fearful trill, of things unknown, but longed for still, and his tune is heard on the distant hill, for the caged bird sings of freedom.”
— Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
The Transatlantic Agency wants to honor and recognize Juneteenth, which is observed today in honor of the historically momentous day of June 19, 1865 in the United States, when around 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas to announce that the more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in the state, were free by executive decree.
Although the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect in 1863, it wasn’t until this day, which some have called “our country’s second independence day,” that all were truly set free, reminding us of “the value of never giving up hope in uncertain times.” (From “The Historical Legacy of Juneteenth. The National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian)
To share in the celebration, we’d like to invite you to a day of reflection and to share a list of recommended reading, curated by Penguin Randomhouse: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/the-read-down/juneteenth/