Each June 19, Americans across the country gather together and feast on red foods and red drinks in public parks and private houses, in celebration of the ending of slavery. By why red?

On June 19, 1865, Union General Gordon Granger issued the famous General Order No. 3, which proclaimed: “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor.”

This did not magically end the oppression of Black people in America, of course, but it marked the official start of a new era. Two years earlier, President Abraham Lincoln had issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared “that all persons held as slaves within any state…shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.”

For many, that freedom would only truly begin with General Order No. 3, when Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay to ensure that the directive would be carried out.

Red Food and Drinks Have Cultural and Historical Significance

This historic event was initially known as Manumission Day, after the word for the act of formerly freeing slaves. Before long, it became popularly known as Juneteenth. Red food and red drinks have long been an integral part of the celebration, with typical fare including red punch, red velvet cakes and cookies, and watermelon. Many believe that the red color refers to the blood of the millions whose lives were lost under the tyranny of slavery.

It’s a poignant connection; however, experts consider that the significance of the color dates back further.

Food historian Michael Twitty reports that the tradition of red food might be because of two African cultures, Yoruba and Kongo, that were brought over to America. The color is “the embodiment of spiritual power and transformation” for both cultures. Meanwhile, Dr Frederick Opie of Babson College has pointed out that red rice dishes in particular come from Jollof rice, which comes from West Africa. Food scholar Adrian Miller has also explained that people of West Africa have historically entertained guests with red drinks, such as teas, which have cultural significance.

“These drinks had such strong cultural resonance that these botanical ingredients crossed the Atlantic Ocean with humans in bondage,” Miller shares.

It is likely then, that the red colored food and drinks consumed during Juneteenth celebrations not only commemorate the dark history of slavery, but also honor traditional African life and culture dating back centuries.

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