... if this book is a departure for [Gordon-Reed], it’s still guided by the humane skepticism that has animated her previous work ... short, moving essays ... No matter what she’s looking at, Gordon-Reed pries open this space between the abstract and particular ... One of the things that makes this slender book stand out is Gordon-Reed’s ability to combine clarity with subtlety, elegantly carving a path between competing positions, instead of doing as too many of us do in this age of hepped-up social-media provocations by simply reacting to them. In On Juneteenth she leads by example, revisiting her own experiences, questioning her own assumptions — and showing that historical understanding is a process, not an end point.
... she offers a thoughtful and affectionate meditation on the state in which, despite its dualities, she still feels most at home. Where others might see a simple picture of unreconstructed racism, Gordon-Reed sees — and dissects — complexities that largely defy stereotypes. In so doing, she makes On Juneteenth an important part of the discussion about who and what we are as 21st-century Americans ... Gordon-Reed brings her substantial intellect to this intimate exploration of her home state, one she approaches with ambivalence but also love.
... written on a smaller and more personal scale than [Gordon-Reed's] previous work, but it is no less powerful. Gordon-Reed’s essays seamlessly merge history and memoir into a complex portrait of her beloved, turbulent Texas, revealing new truths about a state that, more than any other, embodies all the virtues and faults of America.
Like the story of Juneteenth itself, the history she tells is one of yarns woven, dark truths glossed over and freedom delayed ... By starting her history in the 1500s with a North African named Estebanico, who traveled with the explorer Àlvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca in Texas, Gordon-Reed forces us to reconsider Black history ... The story is further complicated by our gauzy and imprecise view in the rear-view mirror. And at times, Gordon-Reed’s meanderings into her decaying memories seem to get us lost ... Gordon-Reed has a way of offering a gentle correction to the romanticizing of Western history and the erasure of marginalized communities ... America...should leave space for different interpretations based on new revelations and documentation. As a historian, I could not agree more.
... a perfectly quilted work of American history framed by the stories of Black Americans in Texas. Through a mix of memoir, analysis, and seldom-shared stories, historian and Harvard law professor Annette Gordon-Reed stitches a clear image of the economic and political reality of slavery in the Lone Star State ... I thought I knew about Juneteenth until I read her latest book, which provides important historical context. So many contemporary celebrations of Juneteenth offer no real connection to the holiday’s roots. Gordon-Reed not only bridges that gap but adds a sense of urgency as she dives deeply into her own life – the story of a Black girl growing up in Texas ... functions as a clear portrait of the diversity and centuries-old history of Texas, which would have been powerful enough on its own. But the addition of her own narrative brings the text to life ... Gordon-Reed is a master researcher and a magnificent storyteller, and she avoids the use of heavy historical terminology. By sharing her experiences and those of her family, she shows the cost exacted by unjust systems. Yet she clearly feels a deep love for her home state. Her personal experience – that of a Black woman who loves Texas in spite of its checkered past – is the perfect gateway into this complex narrative.
As Juneteenth morphs from a primarily Texan celebration of African American freedom to a proposed national holiday, Gordon-Reed urges Texans and all Americans to reflect critically on this tangled history. A remarkable meditation on the history and folk mythology of Texas from an African American perspective.
This beautifully written memoir makes the case that the history of Black Texas is central to the history of the United States. Gordon-Reed’s writing will move all readers of U.S. history.
As Gordon-Reed amply shows in this smooth combination of memoir, essay, and history, such racism is by no means a thing of the past, even as Juneteenth has come to be celebrated by all of Texas and throughout the U.S. ... The author astutely explores 'what that means for everyone who lives in Texas and is not a White man' ... All of this provides context for the uniqueness of this historical moment, which Gordon-Reed explores with her characteristic rigor and insight ... A concise personal and scholarly history that avoids academic jargon as it illuminates emotional truths.
... immersive and well-informed ... Despite the thorny racial history, Gordon-Reed expresses a deep fondness for her native state, writing that 'love does not require taking an uncritical stance toward the object of one’s affections.' This brisk history lesson entertains and enlightens.
