Watermelon for sale? Juneteenth ice cream? Some Black leaders warn there is a wrong way to celebrate

For those who have observed Black freedom for many years, Juneteenth is about recognizing Black leaders and Black culture. That’s why they are increasingly concerned about how Americans with no history of observing Juneteenth will celebrate the new federal holiday.

They warn Juneteenth should not become another American holiday about buying things, even as there have already been some high-profile missteps, with Walmart’s Juneteenth ice cream and the Children's Museum of Indianapolis' Juneteenth watermelon salad sparking outrage.

"Of course, this will happen. Look what they have done with Martin Luther King Jr. Day," said David Utter, a civil rights attorney for Fair Fight Initiative, a Georgia nonprofit organization that works to end mass incarceration. "Also, we can go back to Black Heritage Month and see the trend of monetizing holidays in America."

Angela Bannerman Ankoma, vice president and executive director of equity leadership for the Rhode Island Foundation, a nonprofit organization, said Juneteenth is about serving the community, not big corporations trying to make a buck.

"We knew about the risk of Juneteenth becoming a federal holiday," said Bannerman Ankoma.

Some Black people said they are wary of non-Black communities taking the lead on Juneteenth celebrations.

"Anything that has to do with history needs to be written, illustrated, drawing, put to music for our personal tragedy and not for somebody from the outside to do that for us," said Alexander Bostic, an art professor at Mississippi State University's College of Architecture, Art and Design and the illustrator of the children's book "Free at Last: A Juneteenth Poem." "From the 1800s into the present, we can see how the Black image has been commercialized."

How to celebrate Juneteenth

Juneteenth, also known as "Juneteenth Independence Day" or "Freedom Day," commemorates the June 19, 1865, announcement of the abolition of slavery in Galveston, Texas, and, more generally, the emancipation of enslaved African Americans throughout the Confederate South.

The holiday has been a tradition for the Black community for decades, with families and organizations hosting yearly celebrations. Organizers of Juneteenth events said people new to the holiday, especially corporations, should turn to these organizations for guidance on how to salute Juneteenth.

"They need to go back to the roots to understand why this is a celebration and involve the people that the celebration was intended for," said Celeste Smith, co-founder and board member of 1Hood, a youth hip hop non-profit based in Pennsylvania. “The essence of this historic celebration is that we seek unity as people."

After multiple social media posts slammed Walmart in May for selling a "Celebration Edition: Juneteenth Ice Cream," under its Great Value label, the company removed the items.

"Juneteenth holiday marks a celebration of freedom and independence," a Walmart spokesperson said in a statement. "However, we received feedback that a few items caused concern for some of our customers and we sincerely apologize.”

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis found itself in a similar predicament when its food court offered a "Juneteenth watermelon salad." It also removed the item after an outcry.

"We are currently reviewing how we may best convey these stories and traditions during this year's Juneteenth celebration as well as making changes around how our food service provider makes future food selections,” the museum said in a statement.

Lizette Williams, a marketing and advertising executive who specializes in diversity outreach, said brands need to find a successful way to acknowledge Juneteenth.

“I can’t speak to Walmart or any organization specifically, but what I can say is that this is a teachable moment for all of us, our organizations and society-at-large as Juneteenth has become a federally-recognized holiday,” she said. “Juneteenth, for example, is an excellent time for allies to demonstrate their support of anti-racism.”

Juneteenth NY has been working to partner with corporations responsibly to mark the holiday, said Athenia Rodney, founder and executive director of Juneteenth NY.

Festival organizers unveiled an expanded Kid's Corner, including a basketball clinic hosted by The Brooklyn Nets and the New York Liberty, and a hockey clinic hosted by the New York Rangers. Uber will provide discounted rides for festival attendees.

The festival will also include a project called "Libation & Liberation: The Quilt Project,” honoring the cultural legacy of Black American textile-making. The project aims to cement the Juneteenth holiday as an opportunity for creative expressions of grief, mourning and community co-creation and storytelling, with participants encouraged to design a block in memory of loved ones lost to COVID-19.

"I will say ultimately, I felt that people didn't really know how to celebrate Juneteenth after it became a federal holiday," said Rodney. "I understand that this allows corporations to say, let's connect to this. But the nation should take the cue from the Black community."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Juneteenth celebration 2022: Concerns about commercialization grow