Walmart Juneteenth Ice Cream Receive Backlash

Madilynn Cook, Staff Writer

Walmart gets backlash for releasing multiple Juneteenth ice cream flavors, including red velvet cheesecake flavored ice cream, ahead of the federal holiday on June 19. Shortly after the release, social media users got wind of the tone-deaf-deemed products.

The retailer was accused of using their Great Value ice cream brand as a way to profit off the holiday, which commemorates the end of slavery. The label on the ice cream container reads, “Share and celebrate “African- American Culture emancipation, and enduring hope.”

One Twitter user made it known that a similar ice cream flavor by a Black-owned business already exists. “Walmart literally saw a successful small Black business and thought they could get away with stealing their flavor and re-branding it for Juneteenth,” they tweeted. “Anyways, Creamalicious is available at Target.”

Another tweeter responded to that post with, “Walmart could’ve supported Black owner brands and put them on their shelves. Instead, they chose to Great Value and trademark Black emancipation.”

Walmart issued an official statement in response to the backlash with PEOPLE magazine: “Juneteenth holiday marks a commemoration and celebration of freedom and independence.”

In a statement to FOX Television Stations, Walmart stated, “However, we received feedback that a few items caused concern for some of our customers and we sincerely apologize. We are reviewing our assortment and will remove items as appropriate.”

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, two months after the Confederacy had surrendered. It was about 2 1/2 years after the Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves in Southern states.