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Honor Juneteenth with These Special Collections Materials

June 16, 2022

Collage of images, photos and pages from various materials in special collections

On June 19, 1865, Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas with the news that the more than 250,000 enslaved people in the state were free. This day came to be known as Juneteenth and is now officially a federal holiday.

To honor the hardships and enduring spirit that led up to this historic day that brought about a new era of hope, inspiration and empowerment, we invite you to check out the following books and other materials from the 19th century that we are fortunate to have as part of our Special Collections.

Image of illustration of a man from Twelve Years a Slave (1853) book
Twelve Years a Slave (1853)

If you are interested in examining any of these materials, we invite you to make a Special Collections Reading Room appointment. Questions can be directed to specialcollections@claremont.edu or (909) 607-3977.

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*A frontispiece is a decorative or informative illustration facing a book’s title page. Plates are full page illustrations, pictures or photographs that are printed separately from the text of the book and then bound in during production. These features add detail, color and texture to books.