Show Notes
In this episode of Secular Homeschool Revolution, Ashley explains what Juneteenth is, why it matters to Black families, and how secular progressive homeschoolers can teach it with honesty and care. Juneteenth is not just a holiday or a craft day. It is a reminder of delayed freedom, the ugliness of American history, especially Texas history and the power of Black survival, resistance, family, and joy. This episode also covers what allies should and should not do when teaching or honoring Juneteenth, including how to avoid performative lessons, center Black voices, and make Black history part of your homeschool all year long.
Lower Elementary Juneteenth Resource List Best for ages 4–8 / Pre-K–2nd grade Books Juneteenth for Mazie by Floyd CooperA gentle picture book that introduces Juneteenth through family memory, celebration, and history. All Different Now: Juneteenth, the First Day of Freedom by Angela JohnsonBeautiful for read-alouds. Best with adult support because the emotions are big. Opal Lee and What It Means to Be Free by Alice Faye DuncanA strong introduction to Juneteenth and Ms. Opal Lee’s work to make it a federal holiday. NMAAHC includes this title in its Juneteenth reading list. The Juneteenth Story: Celebrating the End of Slavery in the United States by Alliah L. AgostiniGood for explaining the timeline and how Juneteenth celebrations grew. Free at Last: A Juneteenth Poem by Sojourner Kincaid RolleShort, poetic, and good for discussion. Activities Create a simple freedom timeline: slavery, Emancipation Proclamation, June 19, 1865, and Juneteenth today. Ask: What does freedom mean? Let kids draw or write their answer. Read a book, then cook or share a red food or drink while explaining that food can carry memory and culture. Attend a local Juneteenth event and talk before and after: Why are people gathering? What are they remembering? What are they celebrating? Parent/Educator Guides NMAAHC Kids Juneteenth Resource GuideHelpful for explaining Juneteenth to young children in honest but age-appropriate language. PBS Parents Juneteenth Book ListGood for finding picture books that help families start conversations about Freedom Day.
Upper Elementary Juneteenth Resource List Best for ages 9–12 / 3rd–5th grade Books The History of Juneteenth: A History Book for New Readers by Arlisha NorwoodGood for kids ready for more historical context. The Juneteenth Story by Alliah L. AgostiniWorks well for upper elementary because it explains how Juneteenth began and spread. Opal Lee and What It Means to Be Free by Alice Faye DuncanStill useful for this age group, especially when paired with a discussion about activism. The 1619 Project: Born on the Water by Nikole Hannah-Jones and Renée WatsonNot only about Juneteenth, but helpful for giving children a broader understanding of Black history before and beyond slavery. Let the Children March by Monica Clark-RobinsonPair with Juneteenth to connect freedom, protest, and children’s role in justice movements. Lessons & Discussion Ideas Compare Juneteenth and the Fourth of July. Ask: Who was free in 1776? Who was not? Study Galveston, Texas on a map and talk about why Texas matters in the Juneteenth story. Introduce the difference between freedom on paper and freedom in real life. Ask:What happened after slavery ended?Why did freedom have to be enforced?Why is Juneteenth both a celebration and a reminder of injustice?How did Black communities preserve this holiday before the country recognized it? Strong Online Resources Zinn Education Project: Juneteenth: Teaching Outside the TextbookBest for justice-centered teaching and connecting history to resistance and today’s world. Learning for Justice: Teaching JuneteenthGood for framing Juneteenth around justice, history, and anti-bias education. New York Public Library Juneteenth Kids ResourcesIncludes books, activities, and kid-friendly explanations of Juneteenth. NMAAHC Juneteenth ResourcesBest for historically
More from Secular Homeschool Revolution
Your library card might be one of the most useful tools in your homeschool and you may be using only a fraction of what it offers. In this episode, Ashley talks about using libraries for books, audiobooks, documentaries, research, programming, homeschool meetups, study spaces, and more. She also shares why she has seven library cards and how homeschoolers can look beyond their local library for digital resources. We talk about:
When educational systems fail Black children, who absorbs the cost? Ashley connects her daughter’s unmet service needs and her family’s financial and relational sacrifices to her mother-in-law’s experience desegregating San Antonio schools. This episode explores homeschooling as protection, the unequal access to educational alternatives, and why individual escape is not the same as collective liberation. Read the New York Times Magazine article that inspired this episode: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/20/magazine/ny-public-schools-black-students-segregation.html Support the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/secularhschoolrevolution Follow on Instagram and TikTok: @secularhomeschoolrevolution Website: https://www.secularhomeschoolrevolution.com
Co-op Q&A: Building an Inclusive Homeschool Community Is starting a homeschool co-op hard? How do you attract diverse families, navigate conflict, and keep your community sustainable? In this episode of Secular Homeschool Revolution, Ashley answers the questions you dm'd her about building a secular, diverse, and inclusive homeschool co-op. We're talking parent-led classes, leadership, nonprofit status, community responsibility, and why creating an accountable space matters more than simply calling it a safe space. Connect & Support: Instagram: @secularhomeschoolrevolution TikTok: @secularhomeschoolrevolution Buy Me a Coffee
What does a secular, parent-led homeschool co-op actually look like? In this episode, Ashley shares how For the Culture Homeschool Co-op serves about 40 families through parent-taught classes, mixed-age clubs, community traditions, and a shared commitment to inclusive education, honest history, and evidence-based science. She also talks about FTC’s shift toward community-led leadership, her Fairness Lab, and why the homeschool community has to be something we contribute to not just consume. Follow: @secularhomeschoolrevolution on Instagram & TikTokSupport the podcast: buymeacoffee.com/secularhschoolrevolution Like, follow, subscribe, and share with another homeschool family.
How do you know if your child is actually learning? Ashley shares how completing an online homeschool curriculum failed to reveal major writing gaps—and what she learned from it. Discover four practical questions to evaluate homeschool progress, recognize learning gaps, assess curriculum effectiveness, and decide when to adjust or seek support.