The Town of Chapel Hill has proclaimed June 19, 2020 as Juneteenth in town and encouraged residents and employers to recognize the holiday.

Juneteenth is an annual holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, enslaved African-Americans in Galveston, Texas, were told they were free and that the Civil War had ended. The holiday received its name by combining June and 19, although it is sometimes called “Juneteenth Independence Day,” “Freedom Day” or “Emancipation Day.”

Following nationwide protests over police brutality and the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and other black Americans, there is a renewed interest in the holiday this year.

Orange County has seen several protests since Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police on Memorial Day. On June 6, thousands of protesters took to Franklin Street and knelt for eight minutes and 46 seconds — the length of time Minneapolis police officers knelt on the neck of Floyd.

In its proclamation, the Town of Chapel Hill encourages residents to take the day to reflect and take action to advance freedom and equality. In addition, the Town of Carrboro is sharing a video program commemorating the holiday, with a reading of a resolution by the African American elected officials of Orange County and a presentation by Dr. Freddie Parker, a professor of history at North Carolina Central University.

To view the complete schedule of events, click here.

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