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Red drink

Red drink
A glass of red liquid
Hibiscus tea
CourseDrink
Associated cuisineSoul food
Serving temperatureCold[1]

Red drink is any of an assortment of red-colored beverages consumed with soul food. During the transatlantic slave trade, enslaved Africans brought kola nut drinks and hibiscus tea, traditional red-colored beverages of West African cuisine, to the Americas and adapted new red drinks based on the ingredients available to them. Hibiscus tea, pink lemonade, red Kool-Aid, and red sodas such as Big Red are all modern red drinks in the United States. Red drink is especially associated with Juneteenth.

History

Historians have suggested that red beverages served to connect African diaspora communities during and after the transatlantic slave trade.[2][3][4] Kola nut beverages and hibiscus tea are popular red-colored drinks in West African cuisine and were brought to Caribbean plantations during the slave trade[2] by enslaved people, who carried seeds with them across the Atlantic Ocean.[5] Kola nut was an original ingredient and the namesake of cola, and culinary historian Adrian Miller calls cola a red drink "in disguise". Hibiscus tea particularly became associated with celebrations in the Caribbean as the roselle flower, from which the infusion is made, blooms around Christmas.[2] Enslaved people and their descendants adapted hibiscus tea, or bissap, recipes around the ingredients available in the Caribbean, and these beverages became known as "sorrel" and agua de Jamaica.[2][5] Both kola nut drinks and hibiscus tea were prized on Caribbean plantations for medicinal properties, as kola nut was thought to restore energy to exhausted slaves and cure stomach ailments,[2] while hibiscus tea was used to treat pain, inflammation, and high blood pressure.[6]

In the United States, where kola nut and hibiscus are more difficult to cultivate,[5] African American communities have consumed other red drinks since at least the 1860s. During the American Civil War and Reconstruction era, a red-hued mix of molasses and water was popular at Black American holiday celebrations and also served as communion wine in Black churches. Sassafras tea was also popular among slaves in the American South, and mentions of "red whiskey" are recorded in Southern newspapers and magazines of the era. By the 1880s, pink lemonade had become popular among African Americans, and by the 1890s, the drink was associated with Emancipation Day celebrations; by the 1920s, red soft drinks were popular at Juneteenth celebrations. Red Kool-Aid has been referred to as "the official soul food drink", and Black American soldiers deployed to the Vietnam War often received packages of red Kool-Aid mailed by family members. Molasses-and-water mix, pink lemonade, red sodas (such as Big Red[1]), and Kool-Aid were all inexpensive and therefore accessible drink options for economically disadvantaged African Americans in the rural American South after the civil war.[2]

The characteristic red color of the drink has been described as representing the blood shed by enslaved ancestors and symbolizing resilience and joy.[7][8][9] The symbolic nature of the color may originate with religious and spiritual traditions around the color red in West African cultures.[2][3][6] Miller, describing the importance of red drink within soul food, states that red drink symbolizes a social connection to family, friends, and the entire African diaspora.[2]

Association with Juneteenth

Green poster advertising a glass of red Kool-Aid
1934 Kool-Aid advertisement
Glass of pink liquid
Pink lemonade
Bottle of Big Red soda
Big Red

Juneteenth, the commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States via the federal enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in Texas over two years after its issuance, is celebrated annually in the U.S. on June 19. Red foods and drinks, their color symbolizing the resilience and ingenuity of enslaved African Americans, are traditionally served at Juneteenth celebrations.[10]

Several folk stories are told about the significance of red beverages to Juneteenth. Variously, the red may symbolize joy,[6] the blood shed by the enslaved ancestors of African Americans,[8] or the resilience of those enslaved people.[10] It may also be a direct reference to West African kola nut drinks and hibiscus tea[4] or red as a color associated with royalty in West Africa,[8] or may simply serve as a connection to previous generations of African Americans who consumed red drinks.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b Henderson, Andrea Y. (December 23, 2018). "Sorrel: The Ruby-Red Caribbean Christmas Drink Flavored With Black History". NPR. Archived from the original on February 6, 2026. Retrieved June 27, 2026.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Miller, Adrian (2013). Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine, One Plate at at Time. Chapel Hill, North Carolina: University of North Carolina Press. p. 222–239. ISBN 978-1-4696-0762-7.
  3. ^ a b c Djossa, Christina Ayele (June 19, 2018). "The Story Behind Red-Hued Juneteenth Food and Drink". Atlas Obscura. Archived from the original on June 25, 2026. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  4. ^ a b Brockenberry, Janice (June 16, 2025). "Let's Toast: Refreshing Red Drinks To Elevate Your Juneteenth Celebration". Essence. Archived from the original on June 28, 2026. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  5. ^ a b c Khan, Sahar (June 2022). "A Brief History of Red Drink". Smithsonian. Archived from the original on January 9, 2026. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  6. ^ a b c Amen, Sunyatta (June 10, 2022). "For Juneteenth, this hibiscus red drink is steeped in history". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on July 5, 2022. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  7. ^ Bradshaw, Kate (June 9, 2026). "Recipe: A cocktail to serve at Lake Merritt Juneteenth festivities". The Monterey Herald. Archived from the original on June 10, 2026. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  8. ^ a b c Mclean, Nia (June 18, 2024). "Why red food and drinks have become powerful symbols on Juneteenth". CNN. Archived from the original on June 19, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  9. ^ Hutcherson, Aaron (June 17, 2025). "7 red drink recipes to celebrate Juneteenth". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on June 19, 2025. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  10. ^ a b Taylor, Nicole (June 13, 2017). "Hot Links and Red Drinks: The Rich Food Tradition of Juneteenth". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 4, 2020. Retrieved June 28, 2026.

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