Governor Roy Cooper has proclaimed June 19 as Juneteenth Day to honor the oldest known commemoration of the abolition of slavery in the United States. The Governor signed the proclamation at a Juneteenth event at the NC Museum of History last week.
“Juneteenth is a day to celebrate Black heritage, history and freedom,” said Governor Cooper. “It’s also an opportunity to reflect on the progress we have made while understanding that we must tackle the longstanding inequities and racism that still exist."
Juneteenth commemorates the day in 1865 when Union troops announced the news of freedom to reach some of the last enslaved men and women in the United States. It also is a day to honor the work of Black leaders, activists and abolitionists who made this possible.
Despite the progress that has been made over the 150+ years since the abolition of slavery, Black communities still face economic, institutional and social barriers.
Governor Cooper is focused on building a North Carolina that works for everyone. The Governor has appointed the most diverse cabinet in state history. He expanded the Office of Public Engagement and Inclusion to coordinate diversity, equity and inclusion efforts across cabinet agencies. The Governor’s administration has more than doubled the number of Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUB) certified businesses.
In January 2022, Governor Cooper issued Executive Order No. 246 to affirm the state’s commitment to a clean energy economy and emphasize environmental justice and equity. In December 2019, he established the DRIVE Task Force to improve equity and inclusion in education. In June 2020, Governor Cooper established two task forces to address the barriers that communities of color face. The Andrea Harris Equity Task Force addresses the social, economic and health disparities in communities of color and the North Carolina Task Force for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice works to acknowledge and eliminate systemic racial bias in North Carolina’s criminal justice system.
Governor Cooper established Personal Observance Leave on June 6, 2022, through Executive Order No. 262 to give eligible state employees an additional day of leave they can use to observe Juneteenth or another day that is important to them. Personal Observance Leave is another step to help ensure that North Carolina can continue to attract, retain and support top talent in its workforce.
Read the proclamation.
Learn more about the NC African American Heritage Commission.
Learn more about the Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUB) Office.
Read Executive Order No. 246.
Learn more about the DRIVE Task Force.
Learn more about the Andrea Harris Equity Task Force.
Learn more about the North Carolina Task Force for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice.
Read Executive Order No. 262.
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