Juneneeth, celebrated on June 19 each year in the United States, is a day to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved Africans.
While Africans who were held in bondage, abused, and forced to perform hard labor were legally free throughout the former slave states on January 1, 1863, their lives did not necessarily change because of the end of the Civil War. Slave owners delayed compliance with Emancipation Proclamation, the executive order issued by President Abraham Lincoln. June 19, 1865 is the day that the news of freedom reached the far-flung state of Texas.
Although the history of African Americans in this country is complicated and painful to confront, it is through celebrations like Juneteenth that we can pause and reflect upon the strength, resilience, and creativity of my people.
Therefore, I have created a journal page (above), a tutorial (below, and a free download of the handwritten Emancipation Proclamation and some Juneteenth titles and embellishments to help my readers incorporate Juneteenth into their crafting lives.
Juneteenth Art Journaling Page
- Write "Juneteenth" in pencil, then outline all around it in black pen. Erase the pencil lines. Color in the title.
- Using green and red markers, add accents to your title.
- Using red brush marker, write the year "1865."
- In pencil, draw a smaller oval and a larger oval (chain link) over the 1865. Next draw an oblong oval. Draw a chain link. Draw an oblong oval on the other side. Draw a chain link and then erase part of it. Embellish the open chain. Color the chain in silver Sharpie. Erase the pencil lines.
- Draw scrolls coming out of the chain in pencil.
- Using a fine-tipped pen, write the following passage from the Emancipation Proclamation (full text):
- Using a navy blue gel pen, outline the scrolls. Erase any pencil lines.
- In the corner of the page, write "FREEDOM" with a pencil, then outline all around it in black pen. Erase the pencil lines. Color the word in brown marker. Using bronze and gold sharpies, embellish the word.
Juneteenth Printable Free PDF Download
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