Politics & Culture

The Meaning Behind the Juneteenth Flag and Other Holiday Traditions

Juneteenth, a day commemorating the end of slavery in the United States, is celebrated annually by African Americans around the country. Dive into the meaning of the Juneteenth flag and other traditions carried out on the holiday.

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What is Juneteenth?

Juneteenth, the holiday commemorating the day news of emancipation reached the enslaved people of Galveston, Texas in 1865, is celebrated annually by African Americans across the United States. The day took place two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. Before federal troops arrived to Galveston on June 19, 1865, to announce that all enslaved people were freed, slavery had remained relatively uninterrupted in Texas. 

The first Juneteenth celebration, initially called “Jubilee Day,” took place on June 19, 1866, in honor of the one-year anniversary of freedom for all formerly enslaved people across the country. Since then, the day’s celebrations have come to include joyous gatherings of friends and families, cookouts, and even parades and marches held in larger cities such as Atlanta and Washington D.C. in honor of the day, which is also sometimes referred to as “Freedom Day” or “Emancipation Day.” 

In 1979, Texas became the first state to make Juneteenth a state holiday, with other states eventually following suit. After years of stalled efforts to make Juneteenth a nationally-recognized holiday, the nationwide Black Lives Matter protests that took place in the wake of the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery in 2020 sparked a renewed interest in pushing for progress on that front. On June 15, 2021, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a long-awaited bill declaring the day a federal holiday.

In honor of this landmark legislation and this year's holiday, we’re delving into the meaning of the Juneteenth flag, as well as the significance of other traditions of the day, such as the wearing of red, black, and green colors—the colors of the Pan-African flag.

 

The Meaning of the Flag

The Juneteenth flag was created in 1977 by activist Ben Haith, founder of the National Juneteenth Celebration Foundation, with the help of illustrator Lisa Jeanna Graf. The deliberate process of designing the flag, which is brimming with symbols of the day’s meaning, has made it an integral component of the holiday. 

Deliberately consisting of a red, white, and blue color scheme just like the American flag, the Juneteenth flag has a white star in the center, meant to represent both Texas (the Lone Star State), as well as the freedom of enslaved people in all 50 states. In that same vein, the white bursting outline surrounding the star is said to have been inspired by a nova, which is an astronomical event that marks the birth of a new star—in this instance symbolizing a new beginning for African Americans in the United States.

The arc that extends across the width of the flag, at the intersection of the red and blue sections, is yet another symbol of a new beginning, or rather, a new horizon. The red, white, and blue color scheme that mimics that of the American flag was a conscious choice, meant to connote that enslaved people (who were not granted citizenships) and their descendants were and always have been Americans, as well as signifying the United States’ continued responsibility to do right by those affected by the continued injustices faced by Black Americans that are still yet to be fully dismantled.

Juneteenth Traditions & Celebrations

In addition to revelling in the day’s celebrations through parties, festivals, and parades, some opt to don red, black, and green dress in honor of the colors of the Pan-African flag, which was designed to represent people of the African Diaspora and is regarded as a symbol of Black freedom.

 

Red foods and beverages such as strawberry pie, watermelon, red velvet cake, and strawberry soda are also a major way of commemorating the day's legacy, with the color symbolizing the perserverance and resilience of those who were enslaved. Additionally, the custom is a nod to the two red drinks enslaved Africans brought with them to the United States and Carribean South native to West Africa—hibiscus tea and kola nut tea

 

Self-reflection and awareness are other critical components of the holiday for those who celebrate as well as those who consider themselves allies to the Black community. Allies should hold themselves accountable by not only passing the mic to those affected by racial divides in America, but also making it a priority to support Black businesses and designers

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