So Many Years: A Juneteenth Story

K-Gr 3–With striking, large acrylic artwork and poetic short text, Pumphrey and Wynter collaborate to show the history and meaning of Juneteenth. The repeated phrase “How would you…” starts different questions in connection with the plight of African Americans when they were enslaved people. For example, “How would you eat after so many years of making your meals from scraps?” Each question is then changed to “Oh, how you would…!” with an illustration of people celebrating Juneteenth after the emancipation of enslaved persons. “Oh, how you would eat!” Back pages include a history of what Juneteenth honors and how it has been celebrated through the years, including it becoming a national holiday in 2021. The content is deliberately abstract and further explanation is needed for younger readers.