169:. Featured prominently in the center of the flag is a bursting star. Running through the center of the flag horizontally, is an arc that is meant to symbolize the new horizon of opportunity for black people. According to the president of the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation Steve Williams, the star is a "Bursting star of freedom." Williams also states that the arch representing the horizon shows blue above and the red color below is symbolic of the ground soaked with blood; the blood which was shed of the Black Americans enslaved by the United States. The red, white, and blue colors were meant to convey the message that all enslaved people and their descendants are American. In 2007, the date "June 19, 1865" was added.
884:
178:
31:
803:
1031:
192:
Lincoln's
Emancipation Proclamation of January 1, 1863, declared that all slaves in the rebel Confederate States were free. The State of Texas rejoined the Union with the end of the Civil War on April 9, 1865. On June 19, 1865, Union General Gordon Granger arrived at the port of Galveston, Texas and
161:
as, "A banner adorned with sunbursts and flaming candles". A revised design was copyrighted by Haith in 2000. Haith also founded the
National Juneteenth Celebration Foundation (NJCF). Lisa Jeanne Graf reports that as an illustrator she fine-tuned the design for the NJCF.
356:
672:
751:
216:. Ben Haith initiated the Boston flag raising. Beginning in 2020 in the United States, several state governors ordered the Juneteenth flag to be raised over their capitol buildings on June 19. In 2020, Wisconsin Governor
128:
and that early version was displayed in 1997. The present version was first flown in 2000. The colors and symbols on the flag are representative of freedom and the end of slavery. The date on the flag represents that of
348:
699:
255:
celebrated
Juneteenth by flying the flag alongside their Nebraska flag in 2020. The Juneteenth Flag was displayed at Fenway Park on June 19, 2022 along with the Flag of the United States of America.
664:
725:
747:
153:
The
Juneteenth flag was designed in 1997 by activist Ben Haith (also known as "Boston Ben"). Haith displayed the first version of the Juneteenth flag in June 1997 at Boston's
695:
137:
in 1865. Beginning in 2020, many states began recognizing
Juneteenth by flying the flag over their state capitol buildings, especially after Juneteenth was declared a
510:
883:
454:
558:
642:
326:
189:) and to the "freedom of African Americans in all 50 states". Surrounding it is a 12-ray nova (or "new star") representing a new beginning for all.
616:
773:
721:
299:
1016:
390:
585:
945:
480:
82:
Upper half is blue and lower half is red. Colors are divided by a horizontal arch. In the center is a white star which is outlined.
138:
840:
1060:
506:
252:
446:
1065:
1001:
420:
807:
200:
One year later freed slaves in Texas celebrated the first
Juneteenth on June 19, and it was called "Jubilee Day".
1070:
532:
550:
638:
322:
1035:
962:
220:
ordered the flag to be flown for the month of June. When the flag was raised in
Wisconsin, state senator
213:
208:
The most recognizable symbol of
Juneteenth is the Juneteenth flag. The flag was first flown in 2000, at
608:
154:
1006:
295:
240:
on June 19, 2021. In 2021 President Joe Biden signed a law marking
Juneteenth as a federal holiday.
833:
665:"Juneteenth Flag to Fly Above State Capitol For First Time in Illinois History, Pritzker Announces"
237:
386:
581:
38:
968:
898:
229:
8:
1055:
940:
826:
194:
130:
476:
977:
748:"Nebraska Athletics Celebrates Juneteenth with reflection, education and personal ties"
264:
1011:
924:
696:"'It's time for a reset': Macy Gray proposes to change American flag on Juneteenth"
274:
134:
985:
814:
Video - Juneteenth is now a federal holiday. Here is the meaning behind the flag
1030:
868:
244:
813:
1049:
233:
186:
166:
121:
412:
177:
269:
248:
225:
221:
849:
217:
117:
224:
of
Milwaukee and the Wisconsin Legislative Black Caucus celebrated by
863:
197:. The Juneteenth Flag has the date of June 19, 1865 displayed on it.
142:
125:
94:
873:
30:
802:
447:"The Juneteenth flag is full of symbols. Here's what they mean"
209:
903:
818:
641:. Bluefield Daily Telegraph. Associated Press. 19 June 2021.
387:"What is it and What to Know About This Year's Celebration"
185:
The five-pointed star refers both to Texas (nicknamed
181:
An informal listing of elements of the Juneteenth flag
469:
385:
Kochi, Sudiksha; Yancey-Bragg, N'dea (18 June 2021).
507:"The True Meaning of the Juneteenth Flag, Explained"
165:
The flag uses the colors red, white and blue of the
124:. The first version was created in 1997 by activist
479:. Democrat and Chronicle. USA Today. 19 June 2021.
750:. University of Nebraska Athletics. 19 June 2020.
582:"Evers orders Juneteenth Flag Flown Over Capital"
384:
1047:
500:
498:
1017:End of slavery in the United States of America
584:. Chippewa Herald-Telegram. Associated Press.
551:"What are the symbols on the Juneteenth Flag?"
834:
774:"The Juneteenth flag is flying across the US"
722:"The Juneteenth flag is flying across the US"
504:
495:
228:. Also in 2020 the flag was raised over the
157:. It was described by Patricia Smith of the
606:
193:announced that slavery had been ended with
841:
827:
631:
544:
542:
296:"The Juneteenth flag was created in 1997"
16:Flag that marks the holiday of Juneteenth
946:Juneteenth National Independence Day Act
740:
657:
176:
505:Jean-Philippe, McKenzie (18 May 2022).
380:
378:
376:
374:
287:
236:ordered the flag to be flown above the
1048:
714:
548:
539:
389:. Fort Collins Coloradoan. USA Today.
822:
639:"Flag Raising and Juneteenth Dancers"
600:
579:
573:
440:
438:
320:
444:
405:
371:
314:
293:
43:Commemorating the Juneteenth holiday
693:
687:
607:D. S. Burch, Audra (19 June 2020).
353:Copyright Catalog (1978 to present)
13:
766:
675:from the original on June 16, 2021
561:from the original on June 16, 2021
457:from the original on June 20, 2021
435:
349:"Public Catalog - Juneteenth flag"
341:
14:
1082:
1002:Abolitionism in the United States
795:
754:from the original on 8 March 2021
1036:Civil rights movement portal
1029:
882:
801:
728:from the original on 28 May 2022
702:from the original on 28 May 2022
645:from the original on 28 May 2022
619:from the original on 28 May 2022
588:from the original on 27 May 2022
513:from the original on 28 May 2022
483:from the original on 28 May 2022
423:from the original on 21 May 2022
393:from the original on 27 May 2022
359:from the original on 3 June 2022
329:from the original on 30 May 2022
321:Smith, Patricia (23 June 1997).
302:from the original on 21 May 2022
247:raised the Juneteenth flag over
29:
549:Gagosz, Alexa (June 16, 2021).
533:"The Emancipation Proclamation"
445:Kaur, Harmeet (June 19, 2021).
848:
525:
1:
323:"'Sorry' Just Doesn't Cut It"
280:
580:Bauer, Scott (18 Jun 2020).
172:
7:
963:Jubilee: Juneteenth Edition
694:Ryu, Jenna (18 June 2021).
609:"Juneteenth 2020 in Photos"
258:
214:Roxbury Heritage State Park
99:Revised by Lisa Jeanne Graf
10:
1087:
1061:Flags of the United States
203:
155:John Eliot Square District
1025:
1007:Emancipation Proclamation
994:
954:
933:
912:
891:
880:
856:
294:Philippe, McKenzie Jean.
148:
106:
86:
78:
55:
47:
37:
28:
24:
1066:Flags introduced in 1997
934:Governmental recognition
232:. In Illinois, Governor
355:. Library of Congress.
1071:African-American flags
253:University of Nebraska
238:Illinois State Capitol
182:
724:. CNN. 19 June 2020.
187:the "Lone Star state"
180:
810:at Wikimedia Commons
230:Cincinnati City Hall
145:the following year.
116:is a symbol for the
941:General Order No. 3
226:raising their fists
195:General Order No. 3
131:General Order No. 3
21:
955:In popular culture
183:
93:Original designer
19:
1043:
1042:
806:Media related to
671:. June 16, 2021.
535:. 6 October 2015.
265:Black nationalism
110:
109:
1078:
1034:
1033:
1012:Emancipation Day
925:Pan-African flag
886:
843:
836:
829:
820:
819:
805:
789:
788:
786:
785:
770:
764:
763:
761:
759:
744:
738:
737:
735:
733:
718:
712:
711:
709:
707:
691:
685:
684:
682:
680:
661:
655:
654:
652:
650:
635:
629:
628:
626:
624:
604:
598:
597:
595:
593:
577:
571:
570:
568:
566:
546:
537:
536:
529:
523:
522:
520:
518:
502:
493:
492:
490:
488:
473:
467:
466:
464:
462:
442:
433:
432:
430:
428:
409:
403:
402:
400:
398:
382:
369:
368:
366:
364:
345:
339:
338:
336:
334:
325:. Boston Globe.
318:
312:
311:
309:
307:
291:
275:Pan-African flag
135:Galveston, Texas
87:Designed by
33:
22:
18:
1086:
1085:
1081:
1080:
1079:
1077:
1076:
1075:
1046:
1045:
1044:
1039:
1028:
1021:
990:
986:Miss Juneteenth
950:
929:
920:Juneteenth flag
908:
887:
878:
852:
847:
808:Juneteenth flag
798:
793:
792:
783:
781:
772:
771:
767:
757:
755:
746:
745:
741:
731:
729:
720:
719:
715:
705:
703:
692:
688:
678:
676:
663:
662:
658:
648:
646:
637:
636:
632:
622:
620:
605:
601:
591:
589:
578:
574:
564:
562:
547:
540:
531:
530:
526:
516:
514:
503:
496:
486:
484:
475:
474:
470:
460:
458:
443:
436:
426:
424:
413:"Design: Flags"
411:
410:
406:
396:
394:
383:
372:
362:
360:
347:
346:
342:
332:
330:
319:
315:
305:
303:
292:
288:
283:
261:
206:
175:
151:
139:federal holiday
120:holiday in the
114:Juneteenth flag
102:
74:
71:Date added 2007
20:Juneteenth flag
17:
12:
11:
5:
1084:
1074:
1073:
1068:
1063:
1058:
1041:
1040:
1026:
1023:
1022:
1020:
1019:
1014:
1009:
1004:
998:
996:
995:Related topics
992:
991:
989:
988:
983:
975:
966:
958:
956:
952:
951:
949:
948:
943:
937:
935:
931:
930:
928:
927:
922:
916:
914:
910:
909:
907:
906:
901:
895:
893:
889:
888:
881:
879:
877:
876:
871:
869:Gordon Granger
866:
860:
858:
854:
853:
846:
845:
838:
831:
823:
817:
816:
811:
797:
796:External links
794:
791:
790:
765:
739:
713:
686:
656:
630:
613:New York Times
599:
572:
538:
524:
509:. Yahoo Life.
494:
468:
434:
404:
370:
340:
313:
285:
284:
282:
279:
278:
277:
272:
267:
260:
257:
245:Boston Red Sox
205:
202:
174:
171:
150:
147:
108:
107:
104:
103:
101:
100:
97:
90:
88:
84:
83:
80:
76:
75:
73:
72:
69:
66:
63:
59:
57:
53:
52:
49:
45:
44:
41:
35:
34:
26:
25:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1083:
1072:
1069:
1067:
1064:
1062:
1059:
1057:
1054:
1053:
1051:
1038:
1037:
1032:
1024:
1018:
1015:
1013:
1010:
1008:
1005:
1003:
1000:
999:
997:
993:
987:
984:
982:
980:
976:
974:
972:
967:
965:
964:
960:
959:
957:
953:
947:
944:
942:
939:
938:
936:
932:
926:
923:
921:
918:
917:
915:
911:
905:
902:
900:
897:
896:
894:
892:Key locations
890:
885:
875:
872:
870:
867:
865:
862:
861:
859:
855:
851:
844:
839:
837:
832:
830:
825:
824:
821:
815:
812:
809:
804:
800:
799:
779:
775:
769:
753:
749:
743:
727:
723:
717:
701:
698:. USA Today.
697:
690:
674:
670:
666:
660:
644:
640:
634:
618:
614:
610:
603:
587:
583:
576:
560:
556:
552:
545:
543:
534:
528:
512:
508:
501:
499:
482:
478:
472:
456:
452:
448:
441:
439:
422:
418:
414:
408:
392:
388:
381:
379:
377:
375:
358:
354:
350:
344:
328:
324:
317:
301:
297:
290:
286:
276:
273:
271:
268:
266:
263:
262:
256:
254:
250:
246:
241:
239:
235:
234:J.B. Pritzker
231:
227:
223:
219:
215:
211:
201:
198:
196:
190:
188:
179:
170:
168:
167:American flag
163:
160:
156:
146:
144:
141:by President
140:
136:
132:
127:
123:
122:United States
119:
115:
105:
98:
96:
92:
91:
89:
85:
81:
77:
70:
67:
64:
62:Designed 1997
61:
60:
58:
54:
50:
46:
42:
40:
36:
32:
27:
23:
1027:
978:
970:
969:Juneteenth (
961:
919:
782:. Retrieved
780:. 2020-06-19
777:
768:
756:. Retrieved
742:
730:. Retrieved
716:
704:. Retrieved
689:
677:. Retrieved
668:
659:
647:. Retrieved
633:
621:. Retrieved
612:
602:
590:. Retrieved
575:
563:. Retrieved
555:Boston Globe
554:
527:
515:. Retrieved
485:. Retrieved
477:"Juneteenth"
471:
459:. Retrieved
450:
425:. Retrieved
416:
407:
395:. Retrieved
361:. Retrieved
352:
343:
331:. Retrieved
316:
304:. Retrieved
289:
243:In 2020 the
242:
207:
199:
191:
184:
164:
159:Boston Globe
158:
152:
113:
111:
68:Adopted 2000
65:Revised 2000
669:NBC Chicago
270:Ethnic flag
249:Fenway Park
222:Lena Taylor
1056:Juneteenth
1050:Categories
979:Juneteenth
857:Key people
850:Juneteenth
784:2023-06-23
281:References
218:Tony Evers
133:issued in
118:Juneteenth
48:Proportion
864:Ben Haith
417:L.D. Graf
298:. Oprah.
173:Symbolism
143:Joe Biden
126:Ben Haith
95:Ben Haith
874:Opal Lee
752:Archived
726:Archived
700:Archived
679:June 19,
673:Archived
643:Archived
617:Archived
586:Archived
565:June 19,
559:Archived
511:Archived
481:Archived
461:June 19,
455:Archived
421:Archived
391:Archived
357:Archived
327:Archived
300:Archived
259:See also
981:(novel)
971:Atlanta
913:Symbols
251:. The
204:History
56:Adopted
899:Oregon
758:28 May
732:28 May
706:28 May
649:28 May
623:28 May
592:27 May
517:28 May
487:28 May
427:27 May
397:27 May
363:30 May
333:30 May
306:27 May
210:Boston
149:Design
79:Design
904:Texas
760:2022
734:2022
708:2022
681:2021
651:2022
625:2022
594:2022
567:2021
519:2022
489:2022
463:2021
429:2022
399:2022
365:2022
335:2022
308:2022
112:The
778:CNN
451:CNN
212:'s
51:2:3
39:Use
1052::
776:.
667:.
615:.
611:.
557:.
553:.
541:^
497:^
453:.
449:.
437:^
419:.
415:.
373:^
351:.
973:)
842:e
835:t
828:v
787:.
762:.
736:.
710:.
683:.
653:.
627:.
596:.
569:.
521:.
491:.
465:.
431:.
401:.
367:.
337:.
310:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.