06/19/2023
Do you know the significance of the colors and symbols on the Juneteenth flag? The single star, surrounding star burst, and horizon line all have their own significance. Read the full article, https://www.rd.com/article/juneteenth-flag/, or check out the excerpts below:
The Star
The star at the center of the Juneteenth flag represents the state of Texas, which played a pivotal role in the holiday’s origin story. The Lone Star State‘s flag, like the Juneteenth flag, also features a solitary star in its design. But in the latter, the star stands not for the freedom of people in one state but for the freedom of Black Americans in every state
The Starburst
The burst around the star represents a nova, which, in astronomical terms, is a brand-new star. It was intended to symbolize a new beginning for Black Americans in the country they helped build.
The Horizon
The curve that serves as the border between red and blue stands for new horizons. Emancipation was supposed to bring a brighter collective future for Black Americans. Although their dreams wouldn’t begin to be truly realized until after desegregation and the Civil Rights Act of 1964—a century after emancipation—the curve is symbolic of the hope that drove Black Americans then and continues to drive them to this day, even as institutional racism persists.
The Colors
The Juneteenth colors of red, white, and blue echo the iconic colors of the American flag. These three colors appear on the Juneteenth flag as a second declaration of independence: Black Americans—from former slaves to their living descendants—were and are free Americans too. Indeed, they are as American as their white peers, and that irreversible status is underscored by the Juneteenth colors.
