The Day I Remember - A Juneteenth Story

Galveston, Texas. June 19, 1865.

Seven-year-old Ezra is walking through the morning with his mother when horses come over the rise. A Union officer reads from a paper. The world he was born into ends - and a new one begins.

In The Day I Remember, Lamont Spence brings the first Juneteenth to life through the eyes of a child who suddenly understands what he is witnessing without being told. Ezra hears the bells. He sees his mother drop her basket of red beans. He learns to dance. He drinks something cold and sweet poured from an old bottle. And as the night deepens and the stars come out, an elder speaks of long roads and longer waiting, and Ezra makes a promise he will never break.

Beautifully illustrated in soft watercolor, this tender picture book introduces young readers (ages 4-7) to the meaning behind the Juneteenth holiday - the food, the music, the colors, the elders, and the deep tradition of remembering. Includes a parent and educator note, a guide to the traditions Ezra saw, discussion questions, and a curated reading list for families and classrooms.

A keepsake for Juneteenth. A first conversation about freedom. A story to read together - and to pass on.