Civic Season is a new American tradition that unites our oldest federal holiday with our newest. Held between Juneteenth and the Fourth of July, it’s a time to reimagine the future by acknowledging our past. By inviting family, friends, and neighbors to join the new tradition, we become part of a movement that helps us to understand our roles in our communities and strategize a future that tells the whole story, where no parts are skipped. Participating in the Civic Season helps each of us discover our story and understand our role in history.
Civic Season started in 2021 and is led by key History Museums nationwide and Generation Z Design Fellows. Civic Season Design Fellows consists of nine fellows between the ages of 18 and 30, selected from a competitive pool of applicants. Together they are artists, activists, immigrants, students, creators, and leaders — each bringing different visions and experiences to the table to help the Civic Season become an inspiring nationwide movement made by us.
Pebble Tossers created a list of family-friendly resources (or individuals!) to help us learn and explore. Add a few of these books to your summer reading, hit play on a podcast for your morning drives, and join us among the hundreds of organizations and communities nationwide to rally together in celebration!
Family Events to Participate In
Civic Season Kick-off Party at the Atlanta History Center
Civic Season: A Slice of History at the National Center for Civil Rights
Juneteenth Atlanta Parade + Music Festival
Jubilee: A Juneteenth Celebration at the National Center for Civil Rights
Voice to the Voiceless: Morehouse College Martin Luther King Jr. Collection
Piedmont Summer Movie Series: Juneteenth
Look Up Atlanta: Independence Day Fireworks Show
American Democracy: A Virtual Tour by the Heinz History Center
Resources for Family Learning
Discover Your Civic Superpower
Civic Season: The Classroom Guide
Why We Need a Civic Season
NMAAHC Kids: Understanding + Celebrating Juneteenth
Juneteenth for kids: How to explain and celebrate this important holiday
Gathering Guide: Creating an Intentional 4th of July Gathering
Tips for Talking with Children About Racism and Social Justice
Books to Read (Elementary School)
- What Can a Citizen Do? by Dave Eggers
- Your Future is Bright by Corey Finkle
- I Am Golden by Eva Chen
- We Are the Change: Words of Inspiration from Civil Rights Leaders
- Opal Lee and What It Means to Be Free by Alice Faye Duncan
- Juneteenth for Mazie by Floyd Cooper
- Areli is a Dreamer by Areli Morales
- American Desi by Jyoti Rajan Gopal
Books to Read (Middle School)
- Come Juneteenth by Ann Rinaldi
- Clean Getaway by Nic Stone
- American as Paneer Pie by Supriya Kelkar
- Some Places More than Others by Renee Watson
- The Next President: The Unexpected Beginnings and Unwritten Future of America’s Presidents by Kate Messner
- Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga
Books to Read (Ages 14+)
- Conjour Women: A Novel by Afia Atakora
- My Name is Not Friday by Jon Walter
- And We Rise: The Civil Rights Movement in Poems by Erica Martin
- For Every One by Jason Reynolds
- Become America: Civic Sermons on Love, Responsibility, and Democracy by Eric Liu
- When We Make It by Elisabet Velasquez
Videos to Watch
- John Lewis on Rights and Justice in America
- George Washington and the Making of the Constitution
- What is Juneteenth, and why is it so important?
- Cooking Up History: Living Lively: Youth Empowerment Through Food with Chief Haile Thomas
- BrainPop: A Collection of Educational Videos on Social Studies
Podcasts
- AMENDED by Humanities New York
- Who’s Fourth of July: African-Americans and the Fourth of July by Ben Franklin’s World
- Democracy Vibe Check by Made by Us
- unTextbooked by got history?
- Asian Enough by the LA Times
Written by Julia Dao, Pebble Tossers ©2023