Poppy Commemorates Juneteenth

This weekend is Juneteenth--the celebration of Black Americans’ freedom from slavery. Though Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, enslaved people throughout the Confederacy weren’t freed immediately. The Civil War still raged on, with troops in the West still fighting for months after Robert E. Lee surrendered. For those still enslaved in Texas, it wasn’t until two full years after the Emancipation Proclamation that they finally learned of their freedom. On June 19, 1865, Union Major General Gordon Granger travelled to Galveston, Texas to announce the terms of emancipation. The celebrations in Galveston that night are the basis for the Juneteenth tradition. Today, Juneteenth is a day to celebrate Black culture while recognizing injustice in our nation’s history.

Juneteenth is a time to learn, reflect, and celebrate progress towards unity and freedom in America. We believe that it’s important to remember and acknowledge the historical injustices of this day, while looking forward to a brighter, more equitable future for our country.

In honor of Juneteenth, we’re donating 10% of sales this week to the National Black Justice Coalition, America’s leading national civil rights organization dedicated to the empowerment of Black (LGBTQ+/SGL) people. NBJC supports Black individuals, families, and communities in their mission to end racism and homophobia. At Poppy, we take this day to focus on restorative healing, celebration, and love — the love of all people and love in all forms.

We believe that flowers have the power to bring joy, comfort, and healing. A moving example of this is the The Wild Mother’s #SendFlowersToGreenwood initiative, which we at Poppy were honored to take part in.

Organizers designed beautiful floral installations and coordinated commemorative events to memorialize the community destroyed in the 1921 Tulsa, Oklahoma race massacre and honor the descendents of victims. The Poppy team matched dollar-for-dollar donations up to $1,000 in support of the Centennial Commemorative programs, and we donated flowers to create large scale installations at important sites in the Greenwood District of Tulsa.⁠⁠

We must learn about and acknowledge our past to move forward in unity and freedom. This weekend is a time to learn, reflect, and celebrate. We hope that you and your loved ones have a joyous, restorative Juneteenth weekend to create beauty and healing.