The author and historian discusses her newest book about the origins of Juneteenth and its importance to American history with educator and racial literacy consultant Joy Barnes Johnson.
Weaving together American history, dramatic family chronicle and searing episodes of memoir, “On Juneteenth” provides a historian’s view of the country’s long road to Juneteenth, recounting both its origins in Texas and the enormous hardships that African-Americans have endured in the century since, from Reconstruction through Jim Crow and beyond. All too aware of the stories of cowboys, ranchers and oilmen that have long dominated the lore of the Lone Star State, Gordon-Reed — herself a Texas native and the descendant of enslaved people brought to Texas as early as the 1820s — forges a new and profoundly truthful narrative of her home state, with implications for us all.
Annette Gordon-Reed is the Carl M. Loeb University Professor at Harvard University. The author of Pulitzer Prize–winning “The Hemingses of Monticello,” she lives in New York and Cambridge.
Joy Barnes-Johnson teaches and consults for various STEM education and racial literacy projects throughout the U.S. Her research and writing interests examine training, policy and curriculum for equity in formal and informal settings. Recent projects include Curie Society Educator Guide, OpenSciEd, Project CHOOSE Champions and local racial literacy programs.
Labyrinth Books is a partner for this event and you can receive a 10% discount between June 8 and June 15 toward your purchase of “On Juneteenth”. Please use the promo code “Reed” at this link (Shipping and curbside both available) or by writing to orders.labyrinth@gmail.com.
This event was recorded on June 8, 2021.