What is Juneteenth and why ‘Black Independence Day’ is celebrated with red-hued food

Juneteenth, a US federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery of Black Americans. Juneteenth, also known as Black Independence Day, Emancipation Day, or Jubilee Day, is celebrated annually on June 19 across the United States In 2021, then-US President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, establishing it as a national holiday.
For those who don't know, the word Juneteenth is made from two words "June" and “nineteenth.”

How did Juneteenth begin?

Now a national holiday, Juneteenth celebrations date back to 1866 and are one of the oldest-running African American holidays. On this particular day after the end of the Civil War, the enslaved black people in Galveston, Texas, were told that they had been freed - two years after then-President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, a pivotal moment in American history that declared that all enslaved people in the Confederate states freed.
General Gordon Granger's order said, “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free…”

The first official Juneteenth celebrations took place in Texas with people gathered for prayer, singing and speeches to honour their newfound freedom. Texas officially declared Juneteenth a holiday in 1980. The celebration spread across the country as African Americans migrated to new places and cities.

How is Juneteenth connected to George Floyd's death

Juneteenth was declared a national holiday after it gained attention following the death of a black man, George Floyd, who was killed on May 25, 2020, by Derek Chauvin, a 44-year-old White police officer. The tragedy sparked widespread protests that led to the origin of Black Lives Matter.

How is Juneteenth celebrated?

Juneteenth is celebrated with much zeal by the Black Americans. After becoming a federal holiday in 2021, people get a day off from the work, school are closed and a lot of events, fairs, parade, concerts, the reading of President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation and other activities are organised across the country.

Juneteenth and red-hued food?

The red-hued food and drink has been a staple of the Juneteenth cuisine. As per the reports, the red colour represents the sacrifice and bloodshed of millions of enslaved people who had faced the suffering.