Rhythm, dances, food, community gathering and music have been part of AfrAican American celebration culture long before the electronics provided entertainment.
Black people in America would hum and sing while preparing their feast, celebrating freedom on Juneteenth, freedom that many of the enslaved Africans in Texas didn't know they had after the Emancipation Proclamation in 1983.cIt took two years for the news of their freedom to reach African Americans in that state. The day was named Juneteenth.
There has been a school of thought among black scholars that local authorities in Texas had strong incentives to delay or suppress news of emancipation, as slaveholders wanted to continue profiting from their labor.
In 2021, then-US President Joe Biden made it an official national holiday after signing the legislation.
Today, with the growing number of African Americans spreading their wings across the world, especially returning to Africa for investment, holidays, or retracing their motherland, this holiday has now been celebrated by the American diaspora and Africans, with festivals, cultural events, community gatherings and, recently, more importantly, black business galas and summits.
In Zanzibar, where hundreds of African Americans reside, 2026's commemoration took the form of a Pan-African Award, a Black 2 Africa Gala and an eventful party at The Box by Ashley restaurant, owned by an African American restaurateur, Ashley Marie Weston. Who had earlier won the Humanitarian Award at the Gala.
Juneteenth is a celebration of the remarkable resilience of a people, but it is also a celebration of culture, freedom and unity. “Juneteenth is an Emancipation Day.
Like, you know, America has July 4th, but Juneteenth is for us as black people. It is our Emancipation Day.
And yeah, we usually like to celebrate together: barbecues, dinners, dancing and everything. It's just a very Black celebration,” said Ashley.
A whole itinerary, called “Black to Zanzibar”, was organised, a complete eight-day trip. They did hip-hop and R&B karaoke at the restaurant.
More significantly, African Americans are consolidating their buying power to invest in Zanzibar and have a tangible impact on local communities and businesses.
Supporting people who align with their beliefs, other than putting dollars in people who have been detrimental to Black people. “At least 150 of us are on the island.
This is gonna be an annual trip they do every year for Juneteenth. There will be a group of African Americans here to celebrate for the whole week,” she added.
This wasn’t just the hip-hop and R&B night; Black 2 Zanzibar, an investment summit, was a huge success.
Ashley sat on the panel to explain her journey in Zanzibar, from the initial launch of her restaurant in 2021 and how she navigated through the years.
“So the trip isn’t just about sightseeing and partying. They want to make a conscious effort toward development on the continent,” she added.
The summit brought together African Americans who have started businesses on the island or bought property there.
Their fellow visiting African Americans wanted to know the ins and outs; they were excited to share their experiences.
From how to get a business permit, how to obtain residency and what happens when one buys property under the freehold policy. “We went through it all, so people aren’t walking in blind.
A lot of people want to come here to live and have a better life, so we were able to shed some light on the situation,” she explained.
Tourism in Zanzibar is central to influencing most of the investment decisions visitors make.
Most of them land on the island for a short getaway and end up with a business portfolio on the island that they never imagined would be possible.
“They come on vacation and then say, ‘You know what?’ I don’t know what it is, maybe it’s something in the soil—but I’m not the only person who feels that way.
I just felt like there was a lot of opportunity,” she said with a laugh.
She never felt that before. She always had dreams of entrepreneurship, but Zanzibar is actually the place where she felt like it was possible. It felt almost metaphysical for her.
African Americans in Zanzibar come from all walks of life and from all 50 states. Some of them sold everything back in the US and relocated to the Island.
Some are retired and living off their pensions. They bought property, some on the beach, some in Stone Town, each with their own lane and aspiration.
One thing they all agree on is that Zanzibar's tranquillity is seldom exceptional.
Other nationals from Europe, Asia and the rest of the world have also seized the booming investment atmosphere in Zanzibar.
But they are confident that their unity and cohesiveness in business and personal lives, even in times of emergencies, will solidify their presence on the island.
Juneteenth in Zanzibar was all about vibration: “Juneteenth is the theme, it’s Black, Black, Black, it’s a party! If we were back home, we would have started during the day and been barbecuing all day,” she said.
At The Box restaurant, music played till late into the night, the karaoke was electric, with glasses of wine in hand, R&B music played, from Joe Thomas, who recently visited the mainland, to Baby Face, “I did Whip Appeal by Baby Face. I’ve loved that song since I was a little girl.
I used to think he was saying ‘banana peel’,” Ashley laughed. American, Caribbean, African and Creole cuisine, what they call Afrofusion, was in abundance; the kitchen remained open well into the night, longer than usual.
From across the street, laughter, cheers, Feet pounded the floor in rhythm. “Our menu is Afrofusion. We mix Zanzibari, Caribbean and African American dishes.
For example, our escovitch fish is one of our most popular items. Escovitch is a Jamaican dish, but we serve it with ‘Mchicha’ amaranth greens too.
It’s really good. Everybody loved everything. People kept telling me, as they were leaving, how impressed they were with the food. We also have a Haitian dish on the menu,” she said.
This is the island that has been visited by Dave Chappelle, the famous Black American Comedian and Lenard Larry McKelvey, aka Charlamagne Tha God, the blunt-spoken radio host.
Zanzibar has attracted the biggest stars from across the world, but for African American celebrities, visiting the island feels like returning home and they like to enjoy their time on the island away from photographers, camera flashes and intrusive American media.
All of them set foot in Stone Town, which is the epicentre of tourism in Zanzibar. Ashley feels like she is setting a precedent; her restaurant is the only black American-owned dining establishment in Stone Town.
Ashley urges African Americans to come to Zanzibar and invest. She points at lucrative construction or industrial services.
Zanzibar is under constant construction and renting out equipment to these companies is also profitable, from trucks to move bricks, sand and materials.
So, as one comes to lie down by the white sand beaches, having a plan to explore the island could lead to embarking on high-yielding ventures.
“This place is going to be amazing over the next five to ten years,” she added. “Learning the culture and doing a little research before boarding the airplane could come in handy, as is being a quick learner and adapting.
Remember what Bruce Lee said: ‘Be like water’,” she said.
