Event commemorates news of freedom reaching the last enslaved Black Americans
Hillsborough County and Florida state officials, employees, and community members gathered in front of the Fredrick B. Karl County Center in downtown Tampa on Monday to commemorate Juneteenth with the raising of the Juneteenth flag.
Juneteenth honors the day in 1865 when Union soldiers brought news of freedom to enslaved Black Americans in Texas, even though the Emancipation Proclamation had freed slaves 2½ years earlier.
The ceremony featured speakers, the raising of the Juneteenth flag, melodic songs by the Tampa Bay Juneteenth Coalition Community Choir, and a presentation on the meaning of the Juneteenth flag by the Howard W. Blake High School Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC).
In 2021, June 19 became an official federal holiday. In July of that year, the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved Juneteenth as a County holiday. This is the third year Juneteenth is a holiday for employees. Hillsborough County is the first county in Florida to observe Juneteenth as a federal holiday.
Juneteenth Flag
The raising of the Juneteenth flag was an important element of Monday's ceremony. Each element in the design of the flag has meaning, including a star representing Texas and the freedom of Black Americans. An outline around the star - inspired by a nova - signifies a new beginning for Black Americans. The arc that extends across the width of the flag represents a new horizon of promise and opportunities. The flag's colors are red, white, and blue.