Who created the Juneteenth Flag?
The flag was created by activist and organizer Ben Haith, also known as Boston Ben, who founded the National Juneteenth Celebration Foundation (NJCF). Ben Haith created the flag in 1997 in collaboration with Verlene Hines, Azim, and Eliot Des. Later Lisa Jeanne Graf redefined the illustration and brought the current day flag to life.
What does the Juneteenth flag represent?
The Juneteenth flag symbolizes freedom and justice for Black Americans and African Americans. The colors of the flag are similar to the United States flag because all Americans are able to understand and recognize the importance of African American history. One can not separate African American history from America’s history and the flag reminds us of just that.
Why is the Juneteenth flag blue and red?
The colors of the flag were deliberately chosen by Haith and the collaborators to showcase that African Americans were always American even
throughout enslavement. The Black community is one with America. The colors chosen furthers the notion that America must ensure that all citizens have access to ‘liberty and justice for all’.
What do the star and arc represent in the Juneteenth flag?
The most noticeable feature of the flag is its star and arc. The star is another callback to the United States flag – representing that Black people are free in all 50th states. The Emancipation Proclamation was first to read and acknowledged in Galveston, Texas. Texas, also known as the Lone Star State played a significant role in the addition of the star. Although Texas was the state that the documentation was read in, it represents freedom across the nation. Alongside the star, the outlined burst and arc represent the new horizon and new opportunities that are to come for Black people.
Source:
Logan, A. (2023, June 19). Juneteenth flag: Here’s the meaning of the colors and star - parade. Parade. https://parade.com/1219444/alliyahlogan/juneteenth-flag-meaning/
The white star in the center of the flag has a dual meaning – representing Texas, the Lone Star State. It was in Galveston in 1865 where Union soldiers informed the country's last remaining slaves that the Civil War was over - and they were free. Haith said the star also goes beyond Texas, representing the freedom of African Americans in all 50 states. The bursting outline around that star is inspired by a nova, or "new star" according to astronomy. This represents a new beginning for all African Americans.
Source:
Staff, A. W. (2021, June 18). Juneteenth is now a federal holiday. here is the meaning behind the flag. wfaa.com. https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/nation-world/juneteenth-flag-meaning/287-6e63c5ac-f657-4851-b171-74e0ed9d15df
From the Red & Black, ideas were given on how to celebrate Juneteenth at home.
If you're staying at home this Juneteenth, you can still celebrate “Freedom Day” through food, drink and virtual celebrations.
Here are symbolic food and drinks to serve at your at-home or neighborhood Juneteenth celebration.
Red food is traditionally served at Juneteenth celebrations because the color is a representation of the bloodshed and resilience of the enslaved.
Red velvet cake, watermelon, Texas Pete hot sauce, strawberry pie and hot links are several red foods commonly served at Juneteenth celebrations, according to the New York Times article "Hot Links and Red Drinks: The Rich Food Tradition of Juneteenth."
Hot links, usually made of ground beef and dyed red, are “a distinctive African-American contribution to barbecue,” Adrian Miller, a James Beard award-winning author and soul food expert, said in the NYT article.
In his Los Angeles Times article, “How a Texan showed L.A. the way to celebrate Juneteenth,” Miller said watermelons are a traditional Juneteenth desert.
Though parades may be canceled, barbecues are not off-limits to continue in the Juneteenth tradition. Barbecues are heralded as the cornerstones of Juneteenth celebrations. Through barbeques, “participants could share in the spirit and aromas that their ancestors—the newly emancipated African Americans, would have experienced during their ceremonies,” according to Juneteenth.com, the national Juneteenth register.
Pork and chicken are menu staples for a Juneteenth feast. Other meats such as lamb and beef, which were not readily accessible for the enslaved community, were brought to this special occasion, according to Juneteenth.com.
As a symbolic representation of how hibiscus and kola nuts came to America through the transatlantic slave trade, red drinks like strawberry soda and hibiscus teas are staple Juneteenth drinks.
In his L.A. Times article, Miller said, “a red drink can be anything: a carbonated beverage, flavored tea or punch that has a cherry, cranberry, raspberry, strawberry or tropical punch flavor.”
Miller said the red drink is argumentatively “soul food’s official drink.” He added that the red drink of choice for Juneteenth is Big Red Soda, which is manufactured in Waco, Texas.
Cooking is one way to celebrate Juneteenth, but other ways to celebrate “Freedom Day” at home include donating to foundations supporting Black communities, educating yourself through digital resources and discovering local Black musicians.
The Red & Black compiled a list of local and national Black organizations seeking donations.
You can also celebrate the holiday by listening to music or podcasts, watching movies or reading books about the Black experience in America.
Source:The Red&Black - How to celebrate Juneteenth from home
This list will provide information on how Juneteenth is celebrated.
How to Celebrate Juneteenth? by Gina Cherelus - New York Times, June 17, 2021