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Why We Eat Red Foods on Juneteenth

published Jun 18, 2024
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Someone uses a fork to take a small piece of red velvet cake with icing
Credit: Lauren Volo

No Juneteenth celebration is complete without food. Whether it’s a cookout, barbecue, food festival, or neighborhood block party, there’ll be a huge spread featuring an array of food and drink piled high. And you might notice one thing in common: A lot of that food will be red.

I, like many others in the Black community, look forward to Juneteenth celebrations for the food but more importantly for what the holiday honors. Juneteenth commemorates the day, June 19, 1865, when the final slaves in Galveston, Texas, received word from federal Union troops that slavery had been abolished by the Emancipation Proclamation, which had been passed two years earlier on January 1, 1863. 

Ola Wadley, culinary assistant, shares in the enthusiasm, saying, “A jubilant jubilee is the greatest way to celebrate Juneteenth, and food is and will always be centered around it! I know that the sweetest watermelon will be present, red drink will be flowing, catfish and chow chow will be on the table amongst friends, family, and all who rejoice in the celebration of the emancipation of my enslaved ancestors.” 

The first Juneteenth celebration took place in 1866, where people gathered and held community-wide jamborees featuring Southern staples and dishes influenced by African culture (foodways reflective of the many slaves who were brought to the port of Galveston during the 19th century). And during this first gathering, many red foods were served.

Barbecue was a staple, in part because it was easy to make for a crowd; the meat itself is red, plus it was often slathered in a tomato-based sauce. Fruits like watermelon and strawberries were present. Red drinks were customary, as well such as hibiscus tea, strawberry soda, or rum punch. African dishes such as jollof rice were cooked in palm oil, which gave it a red hue. And the classic Southern staple, red velvet cake, was eaten for dessert. 

Credit: Photo: Vicky Wasik; Food Styling: Olushola Wadley

Ever since, Black communities have celebrated in the same manner with large public celebrations and feasts featuring red foods. Chef Will Coleman recalls seeing red foods at backyard barbecues and celebrations: “I vividly remember so many red foods always at the table, [whether it was] watermelon or punch or the barbecue sauce or strawberry shortcake.” So what significance does it hold? 

According to food historian Michael Twitty, the tradition of eating red foods came from the Yoruba and Kongo people in Africa where red symbolizes power, sacrifice, and transformation. Aside from unity and perseverance, red has also been said to symbolize the bloodshed of enslaved Africans, and eating food of that color serves as a means to honor those who died during the slave trade. It just so happens that a lot of red-colored foods are in season in the summer, so the timing works out perfectly. 

Credit: Alexandra Foster

Last year, I attended the Juneteenth Food Festival hosted by the Weeksville Heritage Center in Brooklyn, New York, which features food, drink, and other handmade items from local Black-owned businesses. Weeksville, which today includes parts of both Crown Heights and Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhoods, was one of the first independent free Black communities. (There you can step onto historic ground where original houses preserved from the 19th century — the homes of some of the first free African-Americans — stand.) 

As I looked out onto a sea of melanin, I got this overwhelming feeling of unbridled joy. The sun was shining, Motown records were playing in the background, people were speaking about unity and equality, dancers were performing moving reenactments, and delicious food smells were filling the air. It was wonderful to be surrounded by that uplifting energy and feel the sense of community. And of course, I indulged in some delicious mac and cheese, hibiscus tea, and red velvet cake with sweet potato ice cream (which was outrageously good). 

Today’s cooks continue to uphold the tradition of serving red foods. This past Saturday Chef Will Coleman celebrated with his fourth annual Juneteenth Jubilee in Brooklyn, featuring a menu highlighting ingredients from the African diaspora. “I always try to pull inspiration from my culture and the things we’ve done to celebrate those through our legacy.” The menu included dishes like grilled watermelon salad with cornbread croutons, Jamaican jerk burgers with scotch bonnet aioli, and strawberry-rhubarb whiskey sours. 

“​​It’s just so fun to be able to pay homage to those who come before us through something as simple as a color,” he says. “And it’s a great opportunity to showcase all that Black culture is, can be, and will continue to evolve to be.”