Walmart has quickly removed its Juneteenth-themed ice cream from its shelves after receiving a large amount of backlash online.
Social media was set on fire after the images of the ice cream surfaced online under the company’s brand Great Value. The ice cream was swirled red velvet and cheesecake and had a message on the side of the container that read, “Share and celebrate African-American culture, emancipation, and enduring hope.”
Many social media users voiced their opinions about the controversial ice cream online. See what they had to say below.
Juneteenth ice cream.? Nothing says the end of slavery in Texas like cheesecake and red velvet ice cream. Time to rejoice my people 🥴 pic.twitter.com/1bbJeazOSk
— William D. Ward CalBRE# 01967124 (@wardrealestate) May 22, 2022
if y'all mad about the juneteenth ice cream imagine how mad those 250,000 enslaved texans musta been when they found out they shoulda been free TWO YEARS EARLIER 🥴
— Casey Gerald (@CaseyGerald) May 23, 2022
Can you imagine a company creating an ice cream flavor commemorating the end of the Holocaust? Companies should really think through how they recognize #Juneteenth.
This is why it's important to hire diverse perspectives.
— Denise 🇧🇷🇨🇻 (@DeniseLit4Kids) May 23, 2022
We said we want the reparations we are owed. They gave us Representatives kneeling in Kente cloth, ice cream and party decorations.#Juneteenth
— Rev. Dr. 4WheelWorkout (@4WheelWorkOut) May 23, 2022
Walmart would release a statement apologizing for the item and saying that they would be removing it from their stores.
“Juneteenth holiday marks a celebration of freedom and independence. However, we received feedback that a few items caused concern for some of our customers and we sincerely apologize. We are reviewing our assortment and will remove items as appropriate.”
Juneteenth is the day that slaves were freed from slavery in 1865. The celebration originally started in Galveston, Texas, and has been celebrated annually on June 19 across the United States. It recently became a federal holiday in 2021.