After years of research and eight months of writing, Dr. Charles Taylor has published his new book, “Juneteenth: The Promise of Freedom.” As a longtime educator and award-winning documentarian, Taylor says that he has dedicated his life’s work to “uncovering and honoring the rich tapestry of Black history — its brilliance, resilience, and enduring struggle for justice.” “Juneteenth: The Promise of Freedom” takes readers on a journey through Black history, beginning not with slavery, but with Africa’s golden age. Throughout the book, Taylor challenges traditional narratives by revealing how Africa’s great civilizations were systematically destroyed, leading to the transatlantic slave trade. Taylor, a retired professor from the doctoral program at Edgewood College where he also served as the Dean of the Business School, is also the producer of award-winning documentaries like “Decade of Discontent” and “Leaders of Madison’s Black Renaissance.” In 2002, Taylor wrote “Juneteenth: A Celebration of Freedom,” which conveys the jubilation that occurred on June 19, 1865 when African American people in Texas were the last to be freed from the horrors of U.S. slavery. “I gave a talk for a foundation in 2021 and I told people at that time that I was going to revise my earlier version [of the book]. But you know how life gets in the way … I did a couple of documentaries and films … but all along I was still doing the research,” Taylor remembers. “I gave the keynote speech last year for the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation in Washington, DC, and they had Juneteenth chapters from all across the country in attendance, and people were asking me: ‘When are you going to update your first Juneteenth book?’ And so I pledged then and there that I would do it. Eight months later, it’s finally done.” Taylor says his latest book has incorporated about three or four years of research. “This new book is a complete revision [of the first book]. When I really got into it, I kept wanting to make sure that people were understanding this holiday contextually, so I kept adding background information,” says Taylor, who was the recipient of the prestigious 2023 City-County Humanitarian Award honoring Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King. “But then it dawned on me that Juneteenth is actually Black history, and we should never start it with slavery, because that would discount all of the Black history that has occurred in Africa before enslavement. And so I decided to start the book in Africa so people have a clear understanding of why Juneteenth is so important and why we’re in the position that we’re in today, not only as Black people, but as American society. Why is there so much division? Why is there still anti-Black racism after all this time? This book answers most of those questions.”🎙️📡🌍 Juneteenth: The Promise of Freedom” traces the complex path from ancient Africa to June 19, 1865, when Union Major General Gordon Granger announced the end of slavery in Galveston, Texas – more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. “This book talks about the great empires and kingdoms of Africa, and when outside invaders came and destroyed the African civilizations,” Taylor says. “It talks about the Trans-Atlantic slave era. And so it does a comprehensive Black history, African and African American history. It fills in some of the missing pages that people have.” Taylor connects historical events to contemporary challenges in the 22 chapters of the book, demonstrating why Juneteenth remains relevant today. This expanded edition builds on Dr. CHARLES TAYLOR original work, which became instrumental in the campaign to make Juneteenth a federal holiday. Taylor says that the book is intended for people 16 years and older. “
