A Storied Sip

How red drink became Juneteenth's official beverage

- Adrian Miller

RED DRINK IS JUNETEENTH'S OFFICIAL BEVERAGE. Please gently put aside any jokes that comedian Dave Chappelle has made about the primacy of “grape drink.” Forget as well what anyone under 30 may say about blue drinks, orange drinks, or any other drinks of color.

The type of red drink varies. We don’t obsess over whether the key ingredient is cherry, cranberry, hibiscus, raspberry, strawberry, or tropical fruit, as long as the drink in question has the correct color. When it comes to emancipation celebrations, it’s all about red, baby!