Juneteenth National Independence Day is a federal holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the state of Texas on June 19, 1865, with the first celebrations of the event beginning the following year. Juneteenth was officially recognized as a federal holiday back in 2021. While the specific date pays tribute to the emancipation order, Juneteenth is a celebration of African-American culture and an observation and respect towards the African-American experience in the United States.
Utah has a number of Black-owned businesses and Utah Royals FC encourages you to celebrate Juneteenth by visiting them and learning more about the holiday. We’ve put together a list of five places you can check out Thursday, but there are countless others to choose from based on what you’re looking for.
- Jamaica’s Kitchen
Donovan, a native Jamaican, started his journey in food as a dishwasher at the age of 16, where he discovered his passion for Jamaican cuisine. He has lived in the US for over 20 years and has made a home in Utah for his family and business. Operating the first Jamaican food truck in Salt Lake City proudly by himself.
2. Mahider Ethiopian Restaurant & Market
Since 2008, Mahider has provided Salt Lake City with authentic Ethiopian traditions and culture through their passionate cuisine. Serving and preparing traditional Ethiopian recipes passed down through family generations.
3. African Roots
Rosette Bahati started her own business to display and represent her Democratic Republic of the Congo culture in Utah. She founded this business with other Congolese refugees who spent years in refugee camps.
4. Sauce Boss Southern Kitchen
Chef Julius celebrates his take on soul food through authentic styles and flavors passed down by generations of cooks. Soul food is the fusion of African slaves using African and American ingredients. Each dish is served with the same fiery passion as the chef who crafted it.
5. Afro Beat Dance Studio
DF studios brought terrific instructors alongside competitive and social partner dancing to Utah since 2008. Provide top of the line service to their customers and dancers which saw them receive multiple awards over their more than 15 years of service.
For a broader list of Black-owned businesses in Utah, visit https://blacklivesmatterutah.com/
