As Juneteenth approaches, social media is spiraling regarding rumors about Walmart’s release of a “celebration edition” ice cream to highlight the federal holiday. Folks are outraged deeming this move racist and exploitative.
The Juneteenth ice cream features a swirled red velvet and cheesecake flavor.
The carton shows an image of two Black hands with a yellow, green, red, and black background. The major retailer left consumers with a message on the container that reads, “share and celebrate African-American culture, emancipation, and enduring hope.”Twitter users are displeased with Walmart’s audacity to even trademark the national independence day that commemorates the end of slavery for all Black people. One user called it “gentrification.”
Other Twitter users continue to object Walmart’s ice cream calling it an exploitation of Black culture and an intentional way to profit. The solution for all of us, according to most of them, is to ‘BUY BLACK.’
Walmart is no stranger to celebratory campaigns as they featured a white chocolate flavored ice cream for pride month for
their ‘Celebration Edition’. One Twitter user demanded that the company should “leave the commemorative flavor to Ben & Jerry’s” because “there would at least be some call to action” and “focused grouped flavor.”Walmart has not released an official statement about the rumored product.