Juneteenth Flag Raised At Frederick B. Karl County Center Thursday

TAMPA, FL — Hillsborough County officials, employees and community members gathered in front of the Fredrick B. Karl County Center in downtown Tampa Thursday afternoon to commemorate Juneteenth with the raising on the Juneteenth flag.

Juneteenth honors the day in 1865 when Union soldiers brought news of freedom to enslaved Black Americans in Texas, even though the Emancipation Proclamation had freed slaves 2½ years earlier.

The ceremony featured the raising of the Juneteenth flag and songs by the Tampa Bay Juneteenth Coalition Community Choir.

In 2021, June 19 became an official federal holiday, and in July of that year, the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved Juneteenth as a county holiday. This is the second year Juneteenth is a holiday for employees.

Hillsborough County is the first county in Florida to observe Juneteenth as a federal holiday.

Juneteenth Flag

The raising of the Juneteenth flag was an important element of Thursday's ceremony. Each element in the design of the flag has meaning, including a star representing Texas and the freedom of Black Americans in the country. An outline around the star — inspired by a nova — signifies a new beginning for Black Americans. The arc that extends across the width of the flag represents a new horizon of promise and opportunities. The flag's colors are red, white and blue.