VIDEO - South Carolina: Juneteenth event founder extend apology

Thursday afternoon, the founders of the Juneteenth GVL event have posted an apology on Facebook regarding the downtown Greenville banners.This is an update to a story WYFF News 4 covered on Wednesday.The national holiday commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. Video above: Previous coverageJuneteenth GVL said a series of 50 banners have been set up around downtown Greenville for the event next month. According to the Facebook post, the apology came from the words of the founder and the director of the Juneteenth GVL event.In the post, officials offer an apology for the banners posted in downtown Greenville and say that they will correct the error quickly.(Read full apology below)The banners feature many ethnicities, including Black, Hispanic and white. Some members of the community emailed concerns and posted questions about the banners on social media. Wednesday, WYFF News 4 reached out to Rueben Hays, who is the founder and executive director of the event, as well as the cofounders.Hays previously said he and his cofounders want many ethnicities represented. "The act of putting these banners up and representing them the way that we wanted them represented was really a decision made by Juneteenth GVL," Hays said. "It was approved by myself, as well as my co-founders. And we feel like they bring the right type of messaging of unity, freedom and love.""They were the brainchild of our marketing team. The thought of bringing together a cohesive, unified group of art," Hays said.Hays tells WYFF News 4 the decision on the banner was made a couple of months ago."The city of Greenville was extremely helpful in supporting with the direction and the positioning of our choosing. They had no input on any artwork or anything creatively that we've done for Juneteenth," Hays said."The images on the flag were very intentional," Pete Lee, Co-Founder of Juneteenth GVL, said. "No matter what you believe, it takes everybody to come together and support and push any vision forward. We have been for so long asking for a seat at the table. We have been knocking at the door for so long to include us. Now that we have a seat at the table, the last thing we want to do is what's been done for years is to exclude." "When we talk about the Emancipation Proclamation, and freeing of our enslaved people, it was also an opportunity for our enslaved people to be enlisted in our military. Fighting for our freedom, fighting for our independence and fighting for diversity which we're still doing today," co-founder Van David Vernon said."Some people are having a hard time connecting themselves to Juneteenth though it is a national holiday now. Putting together art that's more reflective of our Neapolitan community is for the good," Hays said."You've got BMW ProAm and March Madness. For the first time, this has been done for the African American community for Juneteenth. It's all about celebration, and that's what the banners represent," Lee said.The Juneteenth GVL event is June 10-17. For a list of Juneteenth GVL events, including the Royal Gala, the Poker Run Freedom Ride and the scholarship opportunities, click here.

Thursday afternoon, the founders of the Juneteenth GVL event have posted an apology on Facebook regarding the downtown Greenville banners.

This is an update to a story WYFF News 4 covered on Wednesday.

The national holiday commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.

Video above: Previous coverage

Juneteenth GVL said a series of 50 banners have been set up around downtown Greenville for the event next month.

This content is imported from Facebook. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

According to the Facebook post, the apology came from the words of the founder and the director of the Juneteenth GVL event.

In the post, officials offer an apology for the banners posted in downtown Greenville and say that they will correct the error quickly.

(Read full apology below)

The banners feature many ethnicities, including Black, Hispanic and white.

Some members of the community emailed concerns and posted questions about the banners on social media.

Wednesday, WYFF News 4 reached out to Rueben Hays, who is the founder and executive director of the event, as well as the cofounders.

Hays previously said he and his cofounders want many ethnicities represented.

"The act of putting these banners up and representing them the way that we wanted them represented was really a decision made by Juneteenth GVL," Hays said. "It was approved by myself, as well as my co-founders. And we feel like they bring the right type of messaging of unity, freedom and love."

"They were the brainchild of our marketing team. The thought of bringing together a cohesive, unified group of art," Hays said.

Hays tells WYFF News 4 the decision on the banner was made a couple of months ago.

"The city of Greenville was extremely helpful in supporting with the direction and the positioning of our choosing. They had no input on any artwork or anything creatively that we've done for Juneteenth," Hays said.

"The images on the flag were very intentional," Pete Lee, Co-Founder of Juneteenth GVL, said. "No matter what you believe, it takes everybody to come together and support and push any vision forward. We have been for so long asking for a seat at the table. We have been knocking at the door for so long to include us. Now that we have a seat at the table, the last thing we want to do is what's been done for years is to exclude."

"When we talk about the Emancipation Proclamation, and freeing of our enslaved people, it was also an opportunity for our enslaved people to be enlisted in our military. Fighting for our freedom, fighting for our independence and fighting for diversity which we're still doing today," co-founder Van David Vernon said.

"Some people are having a hard time connecting themselves to Juneteenth though it is a national holiday now. Putting together art that's more reflective of our Neapolitan community is for the good," Hays said.

"You've got BMW ProAm and March Madness. For the first time, this has been done for the African American community for Juneteenth. It's all about celebration, and that's what the banners represent," Lee said.

The Juneteenth GVL event is June 10-17.

For a list of Juneteenth GVL events, including the Royal Gala, the Poker Run Freedom Ride and the scholarship opportunities, click here.

This content is imported from Facebook. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.