Tampa honors Juneteenth flag creator ahead of holiday
Honoring a piece of American history
An 83-year-old activist and Army veteran traveled from Connecticut to Tampa to be a part of a ceremony to raise the historic Juneteenth flag he designed decades ago. FOX 13's Briona Arradondo reports.
TAMPA, Fla. - An 83-year-old activist and Army veteran traveled from Connecticut to Tampa to be a part of a ceremony to raise the historic Juneteenth flag he designed decades ago.
Tampa Juneteenth celebration
The backstory:
Benjamin Haith, also known as "Boston Ben," joined Tampa community members and high school JROTC cadets Friday to celebrate the Juneteenth federal holiday next week.
The city of Tampa held a flag ceremony on Friday featuring music, food, fellowship and the Blake High School JROTC. Community members gathered to honor Haith, an 83-year-old Army veteran and activist who created the national Juneteenth flag symbol in 1997. He traveled from Connecticut for the event because local students asked to meet him.
The red, white and blue flag design represents the moment when about 246 years of enslavement for African Americans ended in Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865. On that date, Union soldiers arrived in Galveston to announce the last of the enslaved people in Texas were actually free, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.
City of Tampa Administrator Ocea Wynn spoke at the event, noting that as the U.S. approaches its 250th anniversary, Juneteenth serves as a reminder that the story of liberty did not begin or end in 1776 in America.
Historic flag inspiration
Dig deeper:
Haith shared that his vision for the flag was inspired by a childhood memory on his Aunt Anna's farm in Blackstone, Virginia.
"As a child, he overheard his mother's sister and others talking about Juneteenth," said Haith.
Juneteenth became the newest federal holiday on June 17, 2021. Haith said Juneteenth’s significance evolves as people and the country evolve. The red, white and blue in the flag share the same colors as the United States’ flag, while the star represents Texas and the outburst outline represents new beginnings.
"I consulted with some artists who didn't particularly like the red, white and blue and I get it," said Haith about the flag’s design. "You stay with your people who helped work and made this country what it is today. Red, white, and blue, Betsy Ross, the presidents, the first ladies, people in agriculture, the people in captivity."
Generation history preservation
What they're saying:
"One of the young people asked me about meeting him, and I feel like when the young are reaching, and they're searching, it is our responsibility to help them find themselves, their platform, their needs," said Philetha Tucker-Johnson, president of the Tampa Bay Juneteenth Coalition. "I personally feel that is very significant. Sometimes our young people, and I'm going to always go back to young people. Even though older people are in this, but our young, we all learn from history books. And history is right in front of us."
Blake High School JROTC Cadet Tejal Hewling met the creator on Friday morning.
"Yes, I got to meet him this morning a little nervous, but it was definitely an honor to be able to see the person behind the flag," Hewling said.
Haith spoke about the ongoing legacy of Freedom Day. "We become ambassadors for the spirit of Juneteenth to continue our ancestors' journey," Haith said.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered by FOX13 reporter Briona Arradondo, who interviewed Juneteenth flag creator Benjamin Haith, Tampa Bay Juneteenth Coalition president Philetha Tucker-Johnson, speaker Ocea Wynn and JROTC Cadet Tejal Hewling.