Juneteenth is a more recent addition to most American calendars, and the first new federal holiday in nearly four decades. So it might come as a surprise that the celebration already has a flag of its own, and one that's been around for more than 25 years. Designed back in 1997, the flag came about at a time when advocates were rallying for the holiday — which celebrates the end of slavery in the U.S. — to gain federal recognition. In the years since, the design (originally crafted by activist Ben Haith) has undergone minor changes but remains heavy with symbolism. The banner's solid white star represents freedom and nods to Texas (aka the Lone Star State) for its role in the creation of Juneteenth; on June 19, 1865, enslaved people were officially emancipated in Texas more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation to abolish slavery in Confederate states. Also featured on the flag is a white sunburst, portraying new beginnings. Both stars sit atop an arching blue and red horizon that signifies optimism for the future. The three-toned flag purposely uses the same colors as the American flag as a reminder that formerly enslaved people and their descendants are Americans, too, despite the country's history of unequal rights.
Juneteenth's official flag is raised alongside the Stars and Stripes above government buildings, on college campuses, and in front yards around the country, but it also sometimes appears next to the Pan-African flag at reunions, block parties, and other Juneteenth festivities. Introduced in 1920 by a group led by political activist Marcus Garvey, the three-striped banner of the Pan-African flag is identifiable by its horizontal red, black, and green bands, which represent the blood, people, and growth of the African diaspora. Both flags are meant as inspiring symbols of unity and remembrance — ideas worth celebrating on America's second Independence Day.
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