06/19/2025
Message from Gino Greco, Division Vice President, North Central Division
Although Black Americans have celebrated Juneteenth for nearly 150 years, in 2021 the US officially recognized this longest running Black American holiday.
“So what’s the big deal with Juneteenth,” asked my young niece last weekend as we were talking at a BBQ. Like me, you probably learned in school that President Abraham Lincoln freed enslaved people in the United States on Jan. 1, 1863, with the Emancipation Proclamation. It continues to surprise so many Americans that slavery didn’t end that day.
Instead, it lingered for an additional two-and-a-half years as the country struggled through the Civil War. Finally, on June 19, 1865, federal troops marched into Galveston, Texas, and shared the news of the end to both the war and slavery, freeing the remaining 250,000 enslaved men and women. The next year, Black communities marked their freedom with “Jubilee Day.” That day evolved to Juneteenth.
I hope as you reflect on the day, we’ll all keep your eyes open for what you SEE. Most celebrations include a wide variety of mostly red foods and a flag. These are certainly festive components to any gathering, but it’s the colors and symbols behind them that are meaningful.
Doing a little research I found that during the 19th Century, cochineal, a red dye used for food coloring, was rare, and Black Americans would occasionally use it for celebrations. But the color red is also linked to the Yoruba and Kongo tribes, two African groups that were heavily trafficked through Texas as part of enslavement. In these cultures, red signifies sacrifice, transition and power.
You may also see the Juneteenth red, white and blue flag, which reflects that, even during enslavement, Black Americans have always been Americans. It bears a star that acknowledges the role Texas played in emancipation. Additionally, the star mirrors those from the U.S. flag as a reminder that Black people are free in every state. Both the burst around the star and its curved surface signifies new opportunities and possibilities that lie ahead.
So do we say “Happy Juneteenth” to others? Indeed that is the case; the easiest way to wish someone a Happy Juneteenth is by simply wishing them a fulfilled day. Similar to Black History Month and other important anniversaries to Black Americans, it’s important to acknowledge it as an American Holiday, even if you do not celebrate it.
HAPPY JUNETEENTH!
