Walmart has apologized for selling Juneteenth-themed ice cream.
The multinational apologized on Tuesday amid outrage over its celebratory edition: Juneteenth Ice Cream, a red velvet-flavored dessert and cheesecake sold with its Great Value label, the media reported.
An ice cream label said, “Share and celebrate African American culture, emancipation, and enduring hope.”
Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19, commemorates the emancipation of slaves. It originated in 1865, when those enslaved in Texas, the last rebel state during the Civil War, were informed of the Emancipation Proclamation.
Last June, the U.S. officially recognized Juneteenth as a federal holiday, after Joe Biden signed a bill.
Walmart said in a statement: “The June holidays are a celebration of freedom and independence. However, we have received comments that some items have caused concern for some of our customers and we apologize. We are reviewing our assortment and we will remove the items as appropriate “.
Walmart sells other Juneteenth-themed items, such as T-shirts and decorations.
Many turned to social media and called for the decision to sell ice cream to benefit from a holiday to commemorate the end of slavery.
“That’s what happens when you market the federal holidays,” comedian Kevin Fredericks told TikTok. “It became a federal holiday. Now you can celebrate it with this ice cream.”
Others promoted Creamalicious, a proprietary ice cream brand, which is sold on Target.