2. Red (Soda) Represented Resilence
Juneteenth, which is a portmanteau-like motel (motor and hotel) and smog (smoke and fog), was a day of gospel singing, dancing, rodeos, barbecues and a celebration with “red soda” or red pop—strawberry-flavored soda that became one symbol of the holiday along with other red foods. The color red signifies the resilience of the people in bondage. During the Great Migration, the Juneteenth celebration traveled north as African Americans moved into such cities as Oakland, Detroit and Newark, bringing the Juneteenth spirit with them.
