Posted on 06/16/2022 10:19:47 AM PDT by Salman
Cherlisa Starks-Richardson was disappointed when she learned that the beloved children’s museum in her community was selling a “watermelon salad” in celebration of Juneteenth.
Starks-Richardson, who often took her daughter to the Indianapolis Children’s Museum growing up, said she expected the museum would be more focused on educating the public about Juneteenth – which celebrates the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans – instead of serving themed foods. To make matters worse, she said, watermelon has historically been used as a racist trope against Black Americans.
“People were very offended by it,” said Starks-Richardson, an educator in the Indianapolis area. “Everybody is trying to capitalize off Juneteenth to make money. But we don’t need the food. I want education. I want people to understand the purpose of (Juneteenth).”
The Indianapolis Children’s Museum has since apologized and removed the salad from its food court. In a statement, the museum said it routinely relies on a food vendor to create “thematic menu items” and that the “inappropriate” name and label on the salad was not reviewed by museum staff.
Other organizations and major retailers are also receiving backlash for their attempts to monetize Juneteenth with new products since President Joe Biden signed a bill declaring it a national holiday last year.
From the Indianapolis Children’s Museum’s watermelon salad to Walmart’s swirled red velvet and cheesecake flavored ice cream to Dollar Tree’s Pan African-themed plates and napkins, inclusion experts say corporations are missing the mark with Juneteenth. By failing to provide any historical context with these items, the companies don’t appear to have considered how they could promote stereotypes or offend Black people, experts say.
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(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Washington’s Birthday was a longstanding federal holiday. Lincoln’s Birthday was a holiday in some states, but never a federal holiday. When Congress moved various holidays to Mondays, they made the third Monday in February the day to celebrate Washington’s birthday. Richard Nixon referred to it as “Presidents’ Day” and it caught on—he probably was thinking it was meant to celebrate both Washington and Lincoln but that was not Congress’ intention.
I always imagine God gathering His angels around to watch Adam & Eve when they split open their first watermelon. “Now watch their faces!”
“The whole point is: You cannot win.”
YEP! Hell if you do — Hell if you don’t!
(BTW — First it was Kwanzaa, now Juneteenth, what next???)
Waiting for the next made up, politically correct holiday.
I’ve lived too long!
Probably because a lot of the old racist "Sambo" stuff often showed caricatures of lazy blacks obsessed with eating watermelons:
I wish it was as you are assuming.
No, this is basically, not PC woke ENOUGH.
I don't know when the idea of associating watermelons with black people took hold, but it was probably meant in a patronizing way--to suggest that black people were childlike and delighted in simple things like eating watermelon.
I once saw a map of Florida, probably from the late 1950s, which had little pictures showing people doing fun things like waterskiing. All of the people in those pictures were white, with one exception. There was one showing two black children eating watermelon.
Weather.gov has changed the name of Sunday to Juneteenth on their local detailed forecast. They’ve never changed any other holiday name to replace the day of the week name. Ridiculous.
The last time “treason” was taken seriously!
Oh, except now, when commie Dems can’t stop suddenly showing their “patriotism” regarding “Jan 6”!
The irony of Juneteenth being the same day as Father’s Day
that too. But in a bar situation, Crown Royal and Hennessy reign.
**One year ago, I had never heard of Juneteenth***
And slavery in the North was still legal till the 13 Amendment was ratified in Dec 1865.
Everyone forgets those FIVE SLAVE STATES that remained in the Union during the war.
I second you.
NWS.gov has Sunday denoted as Juneteenth
I don’t. It’s meant to garner attention to themselves, but it looks ridiculous. And let’s face it blacks do not have trouble getting attention in the first place.
I like watermelon too but why are blacks so self conscious about?! I’m not self conscious about eating watermelon or fried chicken. Fried chicken is my favorite food and I’m white. The fact is they don’t like how they look when eating green and bright pink food that is eaten using both hands which gives imagery of an uncivilized savage. It’s just a bad look for them. That’s why they get so upset about watermelon.
I have lived in the South most of my life, and a hot summer day ain’t nothing better than a cold slice of watermelon a nice piece of fried chicken and some coleslaw, Iced-Tea, and fresh green beans.
I think that’s more opportunistic.
As opposed to the push to normalize illegals. None of this stuff seriously came up before 20 years ago. Now everyone is printing big signage in Spanish (thanks Lowe’s) and celebrating Cinco de Mayo which no one heard of before. I don’t think it’s a coincidence.
Is that the Maxwell-Gunter Credit Union? (At least that's what it used to be called.)
Yeah, I noticed that the National Weather Service forecast page indicates that and NOT Sunday. SMDH! Or, sorry. Racis’ comment.
I suppose Tom Wolfe and all those White Southern Gents only wore white suits to ‘garner attention’, too.
See post 87.
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