A Washington, D.C., newspaper in Georgetown gets backlash for celebrating Juneteenth with its “Rosé All Day at the Yards” event that features two white models but no Black people.
The “Rosé All Day at the Yards” is a glamor-filled, pink themed event for the summer that almost coincides with the Juneteetth weekend, taking place on June 17.
I guess this photo @TheGeorgetownr posted to honor Juneteenth is easy to mix up as a tribute. They would never purposefully set out to hurt the Black community or be disrespectful. They apologized for accidentally inserting erroneous photo for Juneteenth. pic.twitter.com/dHKak5UvI7
— Beatrice (@BeatriceAllSet) June 16, 2023
The tweet that cause the newspaper embarrassment simply wished everyone a “Happy Juneteenth Weekend!” to promote its non-related event.
The Georgetowner, a free bi-weekly tabloid-style newspaper that covers all aspects of life in Georgetown, including news, politics, arts, culture, dining, fashion, and real estate, did not feature Black models in its Juneteenth celebration, which gave the impression how even a celebration of freed Black slaves can be appropriated by white women.
Juneteenth, sometimes known as Emancipation Day or Freedom Day, is a federal holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved Black people. It is celebrated on June 19.
The Georgetowner ran a “Juneteenth Roundup,” an event advisory that featured an image for a “Rosé All Day” event with two white women laughing and drinking on a bed of roses.
The D.C. has since deleted the offending tweet, updated its roundup on its website, and issued an apology with an explanation of what went wrong.
At The Georgetowner, we sincerely and deeply apologize for sending out today’s online newsletter with the wrong photo from our “Weekend Roundup” story. (see below for more).
— The Georgetowner (@TheGeorgetownr) June 15, 2023
Georgetown is a predominantly white women D.C. neighborhood of about 10,000 people. Black people make up less than 7 percent, or less than 500 people in the affluent neighborhood.
The commercialization of Juneteenth has lead to its appropriation and commodification, ultimately diluting its meaning and significance.
There are a number of ways in which Juneteenth has been commercialized in recent years. For example, major retailers have begun selling Juneteenth-themed merchandise, such as clothing, food, and decorations.
There have also been a number of corporate initiatives to mark Juneteenth, such as the release of special advertising campaigns and the donation of money to Black-owned businesses.
