[Durham INC] NC Official Juneteenth Flag-Raising Ceremony on June 5

[Jones, Henry R.]

[A close up of a sign  Description automatically generated]
NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release                                           Date: 05/30/2024
Contact: Public Information Office                    Phone: (919) 560-0000/Fax: (919) 560-0020
E-mail: publicinformationoffice at dconc.gov<mailto:publicinformationoffice at dconc.gov>


NC Official Juneteenth Flag-Raising Ceremony on June 5
Free public event will be held outside of Durham County Courthouse at 11:30 a.m.

Durham, N.C. - In honor of the federally-recognized holiday Juneteenth, the second annual North Carolina Official Juneteenth Flag-Raising Ceremony will take place on Wednesday, June 5, 2024, at the Durham County Courthouse (510 S. Dillard Street). The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m., and the flag-raising will take place at noon.

Spectacular Magazine, Triangle Cultural Awareness Foundation, and fellow North Carolinians will be present to experience this historic event at the Courthouse. Flag-raising ceremonies recognize the ending of chattel slavery in the United States and have paved the way for Juneteenth to become a nationally recognized holiday.  This year marks the fourth year since Durham County Government officially recognized Juneteenth as a County holiday. This ceremony is the second year Durham County Government has raised the Juneteenth flag, symbolic of the nationwide celebration and the kick-off of the Annual 19th NC Juneteenth Celebration in Durham scheduled on Saturday, June 15.

The nationally recognized Juneteenth holiday for 2024 is Wednesday, June 19. Most Durham County Government offices will close on that day in observance.

During the upcoming event, Buffalo Soldiers historical re-enactors will hoist the Juneteenth flag alongside Durham County Sheriff's Honor Guards, a symbolic act that carries the weight of our history. A ceremonial prayer by Durham NAACP President Rev. Dr. Angelo Burch and a soulful song by renowned vocalist Mary H. Scott will precede the raising of the flag. Durham County Commissioner Nimasheena Burns, Durham County Sheriff Clarence Burkhead, and Durham City Council member DeDreana Freeman will welcome attendees. CBS 17 News Anchor Rod Carter will serve as the Master of Ceremonies.

Attorney Larry Hall, former Secretary of North Carolina's Department of Military and Veteran Affairs, will preside over "The Juneteenth Story" portion of the Ceremony. This portion will include the public reading of the three Freedom Documents (Emancipation Proclamation, 13th Amendment, General Order #3) by NC State Representative Zack Hawkins, former NC State Representative Mickey Michaux, and former Durham Mayor Elaine O'Neal, respectively. The NC Official Juneteenth Flag-Raising Ceremony is not just a public event but a community gathering. It is free and open to all, inviting all citizens to participate in this momentous occasion.

Community members and visitors will be able to view the official Juneteenth Flag flying from June 5-19 at the Durham County Courthouse, leading up to the holiday's annual celebrations across the country. This is an opportunity for elected officials, community leaders, business owners, law enforcement, nonprofit organizations, educators, advocates, and regional media to support this monumental event.

Spectacular Magazine founder Phyllis Coley serves as the NC State Juneteenth Director under the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation (NJOF), the organization responsible for legislation that culminated in Congress passing and President Joe Biden signing the Juneteenth National Independence Day Bill on June 17, 2021. Continuing to provide proper context and narrative of Juneteenth National Independence Day is a primary objective of the NJOF.

"This second annual NC Official Juneteenth Flag-Raising Ceremony will celebrate and educate the community on the history and events that were integral parts of the ending of chattel slavery in the United States and the significance of the Juneteenth flag," said Coley. "These efforts began twenty years ago in 2004, when I started working with state elected officials to get legislation passed to recognize Juneteenth.  We have informed so many in our state and our community about our history.  Now more than ever, when some are looking to suppress and erase our history, we celebrate and memorialize this historical event. In the fondest tradition of our community, we thank the Durham County Commissioners and the Durham County Sheriff for eagerly stepping up to sponsor and participate in this event. As always, Durham is leading the way, this time in celebrating and educating."

For more information on the NC Juneteenth Celebration, visit https://spectacularmag.com.

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