Greetings,  I hope this post finds you in good spirits. I’m sharing my Juneteenth tablescape this year and I incorporated my favorite color “blue”. 

WHAT IS JUNETEENTH?

Juneteenth (short for “June Nineteenth”) marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865 to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people be freed. The troops’ arrival came a full two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth honors the end to slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday. On June 17, 2021, it officially became a federal holiday. (Nix, What is Juneteenth? 2015)

I opted to make my runner the focal point of this tablescape by using a kente runner. This runner represents the colors that symbolize Juneteenth. 

COLORS OF JUNETEENTH

RED. Represents the millions of women and men that lost their lives

BLACK. Represents melanin, the soil of the Nile valley, and the unification of the African diaspora. “Black compels us to remember that we Black men and women are all unified as members of one family,” says the Pan-African Alliance.

GREEN. Stands for fertility, productivity, prosperity, and the fertile cradle of Africa.

BLUE. This color is in the original flag and showcases that African Americans were always American even throughout enslavement.

HOW TO COMMEMORATE JUNETEENTH

Charity. Donate to a black organization or a mutual aid fund. Learn more here.

Find a Museum. Visit your local black history museum. 

Eat, Drink, and Be Merry. Host a Juneteenth party or join a celebration.

Buy Black. Support black business owners. Locally if possible.

Black History. Learn something about black history. Order a new book or audible.

Join Opal’s Walk. The event is available in-person and virtually.

Coming up next…Planning a Juneteenth Gathering. Omniley