Miss Juneteenth America Flag Colors Meaning
Understanding the Symbols of Freedom and the Colors That Crown Our Legacy
On a day when the nation wraps itself in red, white, and blue, we at the Miss Juneteenth America Scholarship Pageantry Program take time to reflect — not just on independence, but on identity.
While Juneteenth has its own official flag — one that powerfully speaks to the arrival of freedom for the last enslaved people in Galveston, Texas in 1865 — our program lifts a second banner, one that speaks just as deeply to who we are and why we rise.
Let’s begin with understanding both.
The Juneteenth Flag
Red. White. Blue. Designed in 1997.
Created by activist Ben Haith and first flown in 2000, the official Juneteenth flag uses traditional American colors to symbolize a powerful truth: freedom finally reached those who had been denied it.
- The bursting star in the center represents Galveston, Texas — where freedom finally came — and a new beginning for Black Americans.
- The arc across the middle suggests a new horizon and hope for the future.
- The use of red, white, and blue boldly affirms that Black people are, and always have been, part of the American story.
This emblem calls us to recognize and reckon with history. It honors the delayed but undeniable arrival of liberation — and the resilience of those who waited.
The Pan-African Flag
Red. Black. Green. Designed in 1920.
While we honor the official Juneteenth flag, the Miss Juneteenth America Scholarship Pageantry Program chooses to fly a flag that centers not only freedom, but self-definition — the Pan-African flag, created by Marcus Garvey’s Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) in 1920.
“Show me the race or the nation without a flag, and I will show you a race of people without any pride.”
— Marcus Garvey
We believe this flag tells the fuller story of our people — one that stretches from Africa to America and beyond, uniting the struggle for liberation with the beauty of legacy.
Each color holds centuries of meaning:
- Red – the blood that has been shed for freedom, unity, and justice
- Black – the beauty, strength, and dignity of the African diaspora
- Green – the land, growth, and promise of our ancestral roots
And in our program, we add one more:
Gold (Yellow) – for royalty, purpose, and the radiant light of our future
This color symbolizes the crowning of young women who lead not just with poise, but with purpose. It reflects scholarship, excellence, and achievement — and honors each participant’s journey from potential to power.
Why the Colors Matter
Symbols matter.
Colors matter.
Flags are more than decoration — they’re declarations of who we are, where we come from, and what we carry forward.
That’s why our program embraces these bold colors as part of our visual identity:
- Red, Black, and Green — to root our work in global Black heritage
- Gold — to reflect the excellence and vision of every crowned queen
Together, these colors remind us:
- That Juneteenth is not just about freedom delayed — but freedom claimed
- That Black history is not just behind us — but within us
- That our young ladies aren’t just participants — they are heirs to a legacy and leaders of the future
The Flag We Fly
We honor both banners — the red, white, and blue of Juneteenth’s promise, and the red, black, green, and gold of Pan-African purpose.
On this Independence Day, we lift our colors high — not in contrast, but in clarity.
At the Miss Juneteenth America Scholarship Pageantry Program, we don’t just celebrate freedom.
We cultivate legacy.
We don’t just crown queens.
We awaken generations.
This is the flag we fly.
And we will fly it forward — every time a young lady takes the stage, raises her voice, or carries the light of her ancestors into the future.