Walmart issues apology for selling Juneteenth ice cream and pulls item amid backlash

Walmart will remove its ice cream commemorating Juneteenth amid backlash.

Photos of the ice cream, consisting of a swirl of red velvet and cheesecake flavors, recently surfaced on social media.

“Share and celebrate African American culture, emancipation and enduring hope,” the label read.

But the ice cream wasn’t well received, with many criticizing Walmart for trying to capitalize on the holiday. “Nobody asked for some Juneteenth ice cream. Not one person.”—one Twitter user said.

The “Celebration Edition: Juneteenth Ice Cream” was pulled and Walmart issued an apology.

“Juneteenth holiday marks a celebration of freedom and independence,” the company said in a statement. “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.”

Celebrated on June 19, Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, recognizes and marks the emancipation of formerly enslaved African Americans, commemorating the date in 1865 when slaves in Galveston, Texas, learned of their freedom.

In 2021, President Biden officially made Juneteenth a federal holiday.

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