Creative Ways Interracial Families Can Celebrate Juneteenth, Black Freedom, Culture, and Hair!

Kanisha Tillman
May 22
4 min read

A joyful backyard Juneteenth celebration featuring a young Black girl named Ibeka dancing with a huge smile. She wears a kente-print top, pink tutu, and colorful high-top sneakers. Around her, Black and interracial families celebrate together. Some adults are dancing, others are laughing and chatting. Kids are playing board games at small decorated tables. The yard is decorated with red, black, and green Juneteenth banners and balloons. The vibe is festive, loving, and full of cultural pride.

Juneteenth is a whole vibe, for real! Well, it can be if you approach it correctly. It’s not just another summer day off or a BBQ excuse—it's the actual commemoration of freedom finally reaching the last group of enslaved Black folks in Galveston, Texas, over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Yep, TWO WHOLE YEARS.

On June 19th, 1865, General Gordon Granger rolled through with Union troops to announce that slavery was officially over in Texas. Black folks turned that day into a celebration of survival, joy, and community—and we’ve been finding our own ways to honor that ever since.

But let’s be real: teaching and celebrating Juneteenth while raising Black children in interracial families (especially under administrations that play tug-of-war with civil rights, and true history) takes more than waving a red, black, and green flag. It takes intentionality, honesty, and creativity. Whether you're new to Juneteenth or trying to deepen your family's connection, this blog will give you some fun, creative, and educational ways to celebrate.

Let's get into this!!

Quick Historical Context

(Because You Can’t Celebrate What You Don’t Understand)

1619: First enslaved Africans brought to what is now the U.S.
1863: Emancipation Proclamation signed, but not enforced in Confederate territories.
1865: Juneteenth marks when the last enslaved people in Texas were finally freed.
1865-1965: Jim Crow laws = Segregation, lynching, redlining, voter suppression.
Now: We’re still dealing with modern systems of oppression:
- School-to-prison pipeline
- Over-policing of Black neighborhoods
- Mass incarceration & prison labor (yes, unpaid or underpaid work is still a thing).
So yes, we celebrate freedom, but we also reflect on what freedom should look like today.

Juneteenth Colors and What They Mean

Red: The blood, sacrifice, and resilience of Black people.
Black: The people. The identity. The legacy.
Green: The rich land of Africa, our ancestral homeland.
Yellow (used in Pan-African or Rastafarian symbols): Hope, prosperity, and a reminder of the light we carry.

These colors show up in art, flags, fashion, and yes—your hairstyles and decorations.

Suggested Hairstyles for Black Children

Hairstyling can be a beautiful part of celebration and cultural pride:

Cornrows with beads in red, black, and green
Afro puffs decorated with ribbons in cultural colors
Flat twists into a heart shape for love and freedom
Box braids or mini twists with fun gold or green cuffs

Make it a hair care day filled with intention: moisturize, detangle, plus talk about heritage, and celebrate the beauty of Black hair in all its glory.

Creative Ways to Celebrate Juneteenth as an Interracial Family

Read Banned Books (Yes, That’s a Form of Resistance)
These books have been banned or challenged for being too "real."
- Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds & Ibram X. Kendi
  - The 1619 Project by Nikole Hannah-Jones
  - All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely
  - This Book Is Anti-Racist by Tiffany Jewell
  - New Kid by Jerry Craft
  - Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
    Pick one to read as a family and talk about it—even better if you pair it with a creative reflection activity.
Host a Freedom Craft Night
- Make DIY kente print paper chains, affirmation banners, or Juneteenth flags.
- Create hair bows or headwraps using red, black, and green fabric.
- Paint flowerpots in Pan-African colors and plant herbs to represent growth.
Decorate Together
- Hang up string lights in red, black, and green.
- Display books, dolls, and posters that honor Black excellence.
- Paint sidewalk affirmations like "Free to Be Me" or "Black Joy is Power."
Hair Care Ritual + History Talk
- Detangle gently while talking about why hair is political and sacred.
- Watch a doc like "Good Hair" or clips from "High on the Hog."
Hair and Heroes Talk:
- Match hairstyles with historical Black icons—talk about why Angela Davis wore an Afro or how braids were maps to freedom

Ideas For Every Personality Type in Your Family...

The Crafter: Paint Juneteenth rocks, make earrings, or design custom tees as gifts. Remember you can support the Black community by not encroaching on income streams within our culture.
The Activist: Attend a local march or host a voter registration table. Talk to your own peers the most about the changes that needs to happen to acheaive freedom for ALL.
The Quiet One: Journal with Juneteenth prompts or write poetry.

The Social Butterfly: Organize a potluck or story sharing circle-Black people may not eat your food if they think you are not sanitary, and/ or your pets have free reign in your house. Story-sharing circles in comfortable shared spaces is usually an easy win across cultural barriers. .
The Techie: Create a digital family tree of Black inventors and heroes.
The Spiritual One: Do a guided meditation on freedom and gratitude.

Final Thoughts: Don’t Just Celebrate—Elevate

Juneteenth is more than a holiday. It’s a call to action. It’s a mirror, a drum, a megaphone, and a warm hug from our ancestors. For interracial families, it’s a chance to go beyond allyship and into co-creation of a future where Black joy, identity, and truth are not just honored but centered.

So whether you're twisting hair, flipping red pancakes, or crafting resistance art—make it count. Make it personal. Make it powerful.

Because freedom ain't free.

And we’re still fighting for the receipts.