Governor Proclaims Juneteenth Day 2023

WHEREAS, on September 22, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring that as of January 1, 1863, all enslaved people in the rebellious states would be thenceforward and forever free; and

WHEREAS, in addition to freeing enslaved people held in Confederate States, the Emancipation Proclamation enabled the enlistment of African Americans in the Union Army as U.S. Colored Troops; and

WHEREAS, it took almost three more years of conflict and loss to bring about the end of the Civil War and the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution in December 1865 to officially end slavery in the United States; and

WHEREAS, the news of freedom disseminated gradually throughout the nation; on June 19, 1865, two months after the official surrender of the Confederacy at Appomattox, Union Soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, and issued General Order No. 3 announcing freedom to some of the last enslaved people in the United States; and

WHEREAS, June 19, or Juneteenth, is nationally recognized as National Freedom Day, commemorating the abolition of sanctioned slavery in the United States; and

WHEREAS, on this anniversary each year, organizations and individuals throughout North Carolina and our nation celebrate African American heritage, history, freedom, and culture with events and ceremonies that reflect the power of community, family, art, and tradition in the face of oppression; and

WHEREAS, despite more than 150 years since the abolition of slavery, there remain economic, institutional, and social barriers for Black people in America; and

WHEREAS, the State of North Carolina encourages people to observe Juneteenth as an opportunity to reflect, rejoice, and work toward a brighter future as we continue to address racial injustices in our society today;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ROY COOPER, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim June 19, 2023, as “JUNETEENTH DAY” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.