Last year at this time, we looked at the celebrations of Independence Day and Juneteenth, two holidays that represent important milestones in the country's ongoing pursuit of liberty and equality. Given the foundational importance of these concepts for the United States, it is worth returning to this blog as we continue on the collective journey towards justice, equality, and liberty for all Americans.
On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress formally approved the final draft of the Declaration of Independence, endorsing Thomas Jefferson’s words, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” However, only after a long bloody war, would Great Britain recognize American independence on September 3, 1783, with the signing of the Treaty of Paris.
On January 1, 1863, President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation declaring all people held as slaves in any part of the Confederacy “shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.” This did not end slavery in areas that remained loyal to the United States, nor were many slaves made aware of this proclamation. It was not until on June 19, 1865, that the last remaining slaves learned of the end of slavery when General Gordon Granger entered Galveston, Texas, with a full complement of African American U.S. soldiers to enforce General Order No. 3. This declared: “The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection therefore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired laborer.”
For the next two weeks the United States will commemorate these events with two federal holidays celebrating freedom and independence. The first is June 19, officially named Juneteenth National Independence Day, but also called Juneteenth, Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, and Black Independence Day. This officially became a federal holiday in 2021, and recognizes the end of slavery. July 4, Independence Day, two weeks later, celebrates the approval of the Declaration of Independence.
The events these holidays commemorate were both actual and aspirational and they continue to be so today. Real changes have occurred, but the promise of freedom and equality for all that is at the heart of these celebrations is something we continue to strive toward as a nation. The Library has great resources that can aid in these efforts. Check out some of our books on antiracism, inclusion, and equity.
Many gains have been made toward this equality in the last few decades, but challenges remain. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, over 400 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced in state legislatures across the US this year, which is more than twice that of last year. In libraries across the country, books with LGBTQ+ characters and content are frequently challenged (i.e., targeted for removal). Of the thirteen books that made the American Library Association’s (ALA) list of Most Challenged Books in 2022, seven titles — including three of the top four — were challenged for having LGBTQ+ content. ALA reported that until recently the vast majority of challenges against books were made by individuals who sought to restrict access to a single book their child was reading. However, 90% of last year’s challenges were directed at multiple books and nearly a fifth of them were made by political and religious groups. Those who challenge these books are usually motivated by the desire to keep kids safe but doing so can have the opposite effect. 
When a community says a book needs to banned from the library because of its LGBTQ+ themes, it is telling LGBTQ+ kids that there is something wrong with them, that their experiences are not worthwhile, and that that their very 
These books are not just important for members of the LBGTQ+ community though. They can educate and inform all readers. But they do more than inform. Reading invites us to make connections with the characters and encourages empathy.