Clothing stores Kohl’s are offering grey, green and red tank tops and T-shirts with the phrase “Juneteenth 1865” – a national holiday in the United States that celebrates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans – for teens and boys for $23.99 ( BRL 123.55).
JCPenney.com hopes to lure buyers with dozens of wall panels featuring abstract designs and silhouettes of black women, priced from $60 to $160 each.
In the first major push to market Juneteenth, celebrated by African Americans for generations on June 19, as the day in 1865 a Union general informed a group of enslaved people in Texas that they were free, several major retailers are launching special goods.
But some products, from cotton tops with red, yellow and green US flags to garden accessories with slogans like “Freedom”, are causing a backlash from shoppers who accuse retailers of exploiting the date for profit after the president Joe Biden made June 19 a national holiday in 2021.
In May, department store Walmart began selling a new “Juneteenth Celebrated Edition” ice cream made from cheesecake and red velvet, until complaints emerged on Twitter, prompting the company to remove it.
“Just saw Pride and Juneteenth ice cream at Walmart, I think we’re in the wrong place,” posted one Twitter user on June 11.
Walmart said in a statement in May that the company “has received comments that certain items have caused concern to some of our customers.” The store apologized and said it will remove the items as appropriate.
Walmart.com also sells a series of children’s books on the history of Juneteenth, as well as dozens of T-shirts.
Dollar Tree also drew criticism on social media in May for selling festive Juneteenth decorations in nontraditional colors. The decorations are made by sellers who are not descendants of slaves, according to the National Assembly of Descendants of American Slavery, an advocacy group that supports reparations for descendants of enslaved black Americans. Dollar Tree did not immediately return an email requesting comment.
Seller promotion
Connie Ross, vice president and president of diversity, equity and inclusion at consultancy Empower, said Walmart and other brands should use the holiday to promote black suppliers.
“Juneteenth wasn’t born out of a pretty story, but over time people will find a way to associate it with something positive,” Ross said. She hopes more companies will “soften” the meaning of Juneteenth, avoiding its connections to the history of slavery.
Liz Rogers, who is black and the founder of Creamalicious ice cream, sold at Walmart, Target and Kroger, said that none of her retail customers have contacted her for partnerships or Juneteenth events, and that she often has to convince companies to take place on your shelves.
JCPenney department store merchandising director Michelle Wlazlo said the company is donating the net proceeds from sales of its Juneteenth merchandise to Unity Unlimited, a nonprofit that says it helps communities “bridge the racial and cultural divide.” “. According to Wlazlo, JCPenney analyzes customer feedback, traditional holidays and other factors to determine promotional events.
Brian Packer of advertising agency Golin said that brands that want to explore Juneteenth must find ways to promote products and services made by people in these communities. He said it’s more complex than “putting a fist of Black Power on something”.
Alternatively, there can also be problems with very subtle messages. In the product question area of JCPenney.com’s $30 Masterpiece Art Gallery, a framed canvas of Juneteenth featuring a series of orange shapes against a white background, one person asked: “What does this have to do with Juneteenth?”
Target, based in Minneapolis where George Floyd was killed by police, has recognized Juneteenth in 2020 as an official annual company holiday following the spread of nationwide protests against police brutality. The company provided internal resources detailing the Juneteenth story and a list of community events for employees to attend. Workers can also take the day off or work for overtime, he said.
Translated by Luiz Roberto M. Gonçalves
I have over 8 years of experience in the news industry. I have worked for various news websites and have also written for a few news agencies. I mostly cover healthcare news, but I am also interested in other topics such as politics, business, and entertainment. In my free time, I enjoy writing fiction and spending time with my family and friends.
