Third Annual Flag Raising Kicks Off North Carolina’s 20th Annual NC Juneteenth Celebration

Juneteenth was first celebrated on June 19, 1866, marking the first anniversary of the day enslaved people in Texas were informed of their freedom. However, it became more widely recognized and officially established much later:

📅 Key Dates:

• June 19, 1865: Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced General Order No. 3, proclaiming freedom for enslaved people—two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation had been issued by President Lincoln (January 1, 1863).

• 1866: The first unofficial Juneteenth celebrations began in Texas.

• 1980: Texas became the first state to declare Juneteenth an official holiday.

• June 17, 2021: President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, making Juneteenth a federal holiday in the United States.

🎯 Why Juneteenth Was Established:

• To commemorate the end of slavery in the United States.

• To recognize the delayed freedom of enslaved African Americans in the Deep South.

• To celebrate African American history, culture, and resilience.

• To promote reflection, education, and action on racial justice and equality.

Juneteenth stands as a powerful reminder that freedom was delayed for many, and that the struggle for justice continues.

About Juneteenth in North Carolina

The North Carolina Juneteenth Celebration, now in its 20th year, includes a series of programs and community events across the state throughout June. Honoring History and Those Who Defended It

This year’s ceremony held in Durham, NC will feature members of the Montford Point Marines, the first African Americans to serve in the United States Marine Corps. Trained between 1942 and 1949 in segregated facilities at Montford Point in Jacksonville, NC, more than 20,000 Black Marines paved the way for military integration and civil rights progress. Their presence at this year’s ceremony connects Juneteenth to another critical chapter in the Black American freedom story.

The Durham County Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard partnered with Montford Point Marine representatives to raise the Juneteenth flag during the program.

For more information, visit: www.spectacularmag.com/juneteenth

(Photo credit: Lawrence Davis)