Taste of Freedom Restaurant Week Celebrates Black-Owned Businesses

Marking 154 years since the abolishment of slavery in Texas — two years after the rest of the country received word that enslaved African Americans were declared free — Juneteenth gives space to celebrate freedom and liberation, accord to Big Fella, an organizer with Juneteenth615.

The folks at Juneteenth615, the organizing body for Nashville’s Juneteenth festivities, have planned a week's worth of events aimed at supporting black-owned businesses and empowering locals to honor the day's history.

Big Fella says that with any good celebration comes some good food, like barbecue from SmoQue Signals and Zillas Pit BBQ, hot chicken from Prince’s and bananas-foster pancakes from The Garden Brunch Cafe, to name a few.

Last year's celebration was limited, but Big Fella says that this year the folks at Juneteenth615 are taking over.

“We’re creating a platform for positivity, for positive blackness and to diversify the city’s brand," he says. "Nashville has a large black population, and there’s opportunity for everybody. We just want to celebrate it all and honor that history."

History remembers January 1, 1863, as the date when President Abraham Lincoln’s executive order known as the Emancipation Proclamation became official, declaring that all people enslaved in rebelling Confederate States were free.

But for folks in Texas, which was not occupied by the Union, African Americans remained enslaved for the next two years.

On June 10, 1865, Union General Gordon Granger was given orders to lead soldiers to Galveston, Texas, to issue General Order Number 3, which declared the total emancipation of everyone held as slaves. Nine days later, Granger and his troops arrived in Galveston with the news.

Big Fella says that’s when people started observing the holiday, and 154 years later, he and the folks at Juneteenth615 want to keep that up.

“We just want everybody to enjoy it," he says. "It’s about celebrating black businesses and restaurants, but it’s for the whole city. It’s like going to Oktoberfest or Pride or something — I’m not German, but I’m going to eat brats. I’m not gay, but I’m going to go out there and support Pride. It’s about support. It’s good for everybody, and it’s good to see other people supporting you too. All the good spirit comes out then.”

Taste of Freedom Restaurant Week runs through Saturday, June 22, with Slim & Husky’s, Seafood Sensations, The Garden Brunch, SmoQue Signals, Local Distro, Princes Chicken, The Peach Cobbler Factory, Minerva Avenue, Good 2 Go, Shave Flavs and Zillas Pit BBQ all offering discounted menu items to celebrate Juneteenth. For more information, visit juneteenth615.com.