Freedom and Celebration: Your Juneteenth Lesson Plan

On June 19, 1865, about two years after the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect, Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas, to let the last of those in former Confederate states know that the Civil War was over. 

By executive decree, more than 250,000 Black people were now free. Although Black Americans have celebrated this holiday for years, our country didn’t recognize it nationally until 2021. Create a Juneteenth lesson plan to teach students all about this important historical event in your ELA and social studies classrooms.

• Juneteenth lesson plans for the social studies classroom
• Juneteenth lesson plans for the ELA classroom

[Juneteenth lesson plans for the social studies classroom](id-ss)

Teach students about the history and significance of Juneteenth with text sets from Newsela Social Studies:

Commemorating Juneteenth

How much do your students know about Juneteenth and the events leading up to this significant holiday? Build background knowledge on the topic and answer your students' questions with resources like:

• An explainer article about how and why Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021.
• An article discussing the National Juneteenth Museum in Fort Worth, Texas, its plans to preserve history, and ways to educate people on the history of the holiday and the importance of freedom.
• An article highlighting the “Black History, Our History” comic series by artist Tayo Fatunla, which covers topics ranging from significant Black holidays, such as Juneteenth, to trailblazers and historic events in the fight for racial equality.

Teach students about emancipation

When Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, it was intended to free all enslaved persons in the United States. However, because part of the country seceded and formed the Confederate States of America, it took another two years, and the end of the Civil War, for this proclamation to apply to the southern states. 

Use this text set to teach students more about emancipation and evaluate the agency of free Black people advocating on behalf of enslaved Black people with resources like:

• The full text of abolitionist Frederick Douglass’ speech “Men of Color, To Arms!” which encouraged Black men to enlist in the Union Army during the Civil War and fight for their freedom.
• The full text of President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, which declared “all persons held as slaves in certain states to be free.”
• An extension activity that asks students to create a visual timeline of dates associated with emancipation, like the Fourth of July and Juneteenth.

Dive deeper into the Emancipation Proclamation

Look even more deeply at Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation to understand what the text really means and the effects it had on the nation. Students can explore resources on the topic, like:

• A video explaining what the Emancipation Proclamation is and why it still matters today.
• An article about W.E.B. Du Bois’ pioneering data visualizations about Black life after slavery from the 1900 Paris World Fair.
• An article about the beginning of House debates about the role of reparations in correcting historical racial injustices in the United States.

[Juneteenth lesson plans for the ELA classroom](id-ela)

Put students' literacy skills, like interpreting multimedia and finding key details, to the test using Juneteenth content from Newsela ELA:

Build multimedia analysis skills with Juneteenth lessons

Help students build background knowledge on Juneteenth and practice literacy skills by analyzing multimedia content and completing activities like:

• An article that explains the history of Juneteenth and how Texas recognized the significant date as a holiday over 40 years before it became a national holiday.
• An interactive video that explains the events leading up to Juneteenth, including abolitionist efforts and the American Civil War.
• Use a Comparing Media graphic organizer to identify similarities and differences among various types of multimedia that cover similar topics.

Famous speeches: Frederick Douglass; “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”

Have students dig deep into primary sources by reviewing the text of Frederick Douglass’ speech “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” Have students explore how he makes his argument about fighting for freedom with the following lesson:

• Start with a discussion, asking students to explain the significance of the Fourth of July and how they celebrate it.
• Have students read the speech text and complete a Primary Source Analysis graphic organizer to document their understanding of the material.
• Try creating a writing activity using Newsela Writing to have students answer the prompt, “Did reading this text change how you think about the 4th of July? Why or why not?”

Debate whether the U.S. should pay reparations to descendants of the enslaved

Hold a respectful debate in your classroom and have students decide if they think the U.S. government should pay reparations to descendants of the enslaved. To help them form opinions and make an argument, have them explore resources like:

• A pro/con article looking at Ta-Nehisi Coates and Coleman Hughes’ testimony at the United States House Judiciary subcommittee on a bill that proposed establishing a commission for reparations.
• An article about the first proposed reparations for slavery from Major General William Tecumseh Sherman in 1865.
• An opinion article that looks at the sociological theory of systematic racism, which explains how racism is embedded in the foundation of the United States and how it continues to appear in all aspects of society.

Go further with your Juneteenth lesson plans

We hope these resources make it easier for you to engage, reflect, and start thoughtful conversations with your students about the significance of Juneteenth in United States history. There are many more important holidays and diverse perspectives to explore with Newsela’s knowledge and skill-building products.

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