
Why red food and drinks have become powerful symbols on Juneteenth
CNN
Communities around the country celebrate Juneteenth with red foods and drinks to symbolize the bloodshed and profound sacrifices made by former enslaved Black Americans, according to food historians.
Celebrity Chef Carla Hall’s hibiscus ginger sweet tea soda isn’t merely a creative beverage for Juneteenth celebrations, it’s also an important homage to the African diaspora. The unique Juneteenth drink, along with numerous other red-hued foods and beverages, symbolizes the bloodshed and the profound sacrifices made by former enslaved Black Americans, according to food historian Adrian E Miller. Miller also noted that red is a royal color in African society, adding depth to the folklore surrounding Juneteenth. On June 19, communities around the country will gather with food, parades, games, music, and vibrant displays of Black culture to celebrate the rich tapestry of resilience and triumph that embodies Juneteenth. A combination of the words June and nineteenth, June 19, 1865 is the day that Union Army Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger rode into Galveston, Texas, and issued General Order No. 3, proclaiming that the enslaved African Americans they were free. This announcement came two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which couldn’t be enforced in areas under Confederate control. Despite being freed years earlier, this was the first-time enslaved Texans were told about their freedom, ending the practice of slavery in the United States.

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