A Flag for Juneteenth

Expert quilter Kim Taylor shares a unique and powerful story of the celebration of the first Juneteenth, from the perspective of a young girl.

On June 19, 1865, in Galveston, General Gordon Granger of the Union Army delivered the message that African Americans in Texas were free. Since then, Juneteenth, as the day has come to be known, has steadily gained recognition throughout the United States. ln 2020, a powerful wave of protests and demonstrations calling for racial justice and equality brought new awareness to the significance of the holiday.

A Flag for Juneteenth depicts a close-knit community of enslaved African Americans on a plantation in Texas, the day before the announcement is to be made that all enslaved people are free. Young Huldah, who is preparing to celebrate her tenth birthday, can't possibly anticipate how much her life will change that Juneteenth morning. The story follows Huldah and her community as they process the news of their freedom and celebrate together by creating a community freedom flag.

Debut author and artist Kim Taylor sets this story apart by applying her skills as an expert quilter. Each of the illustrations has been lovingly hand sewn and quilted, giving the book a homespun, tactile quality that is altogether unique.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

Author: Kim Taylor
Publisher: Neal Porter Books
Published: 01/03/2023
Pages: 40
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.92lbs
Size: 10.24h x 9.92w x 0.39d
ISBN: 9780823452248
Audience: Ages 4-8


Review Citation(s):
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 12/01/2022
Kirkus Reviews 11/15/2022
Publishers Weekly 12/19/2022
Booklist 01/01/2023 pg. 80
School Library Journal 01/27/2023 pg. 1
Horn Book Magazine 03/01/2023 pg. 57

About the Author
Kim Taylor is a speech language pathologist and Department Supervisor at a large school for deaf children on Long Island. She is also an expert quilter whose works have been exhibited at several venues throughout the Midatlantic region. Taylor's quilts reflect African American life, and she tells stories through her materials (visit Kim's website to see her quilts). After researching the origins of the Juneteenth celebration, she created a Juneteenth story quilt which she has exhibited and presented in dozens of local schools. Realizing that few teachers and students had ever heard of the holiday, she was moved to write this book.