The UNC academic calendar will officially include Juneteenth as a university holiday starting next year, the school announced in a message to students Tuesday. The announcement follows Juneteenth’s designation as a federal holiday by President Joe Biden last year.

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper earlier this month signed an executive order granting state employees a day of leave to recognize a day of cultural, religious or personal significance, and UNC System President Peter Hans authorized system institutions to provide this paid leave to all qualifying staff and faculty.

“While the university’s academic calendars for this year had been set before these most recent changes, we support the celebration of Juneteenth and recognize that our students, staff and faculty may wish to celebrate the public holiday with their families or friends,” read the announcement from UNC Provost J. Christopher Clemens and Chief Diversity Officer Leah Cox.

Juneteenth, sometimes referred to as Emancipation Day, commemorates the 1865 day when federal troops in Galveston, TX, informed enslaved Black people of their freedom following the end of the Civil War, two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. This year, the holiday falls on a Sunday, with public celebrations taking place on the following Monday, June 20.

Because the UNC academic calendar for this summer has already been finalized, the official designation of Juneteenth as a university holiday won’t go into effect until 2023.

“In accordance with our policy on holidays, and in recognition of the importance of commemorating Juneteenth, we ask that instructors and supervisors be flexible with absences related to the holiday and generous in accommodating those who wish to celebrate it,” the announcement said.

“Going forward, the university will permanently incorporate the celebration of Juneteenth into the academic calendar to avoid this overlap.”

To learn more about the Chapel Hill-Carrboro community’s celebration of Juneteenth, click here.

 

Featured image via UNC

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our biweekly newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
Chansky's Notebook: Palace Intrigue
All reports are that Bill Belichick will operate like the he did in New England, appearing only when required by UNC or the ACC.
Here's the Complete Bracket for the 2025 ACC Baseball Tournament
The ACC Baseball Tournament returns to Durham Bulls Athletic Park in downtown Durham this week. The tournament will begin Tuesday, May 20 and conclude Sunday, May 25. The tournament has a new format this season, moving away from the “Pool Play” model used in years past. This season, the tournament is a simple, single-elimination tournament […]
Hubert Davis Named to Coaching Staff for USA Basketball U19 Camp
UNC men’s basketball head coach Hubert Davis was named to the coaching staff for the 2025 USA Basketball Men’s U19 National Team training camp in Colorado next month. The camp will begin June 14 in preparation for the 2025 FIBA U19 Men’s World Cup in Switzerland later in the summer. USA Basketball Men's U19 National […]
Former UNC Strength Coach Dies in Car Crash; Community Raises Money for Family
Former Carolina Athletics strength coach Dominick Vetell died in a car crash May 16, with the UNC community raising money to help his family.
Chansky's Notebook: Wins and Losses
Art Chansky ruminates on the impending retirement of Rams Club boss John Montgomery, and the effects it could have on UNC.
UNC's Jake Knapp Named ACC Pitcher of the Year; 6 Other Teammates Honored
Jake Knapp is bringing home some hardware. The Diamond Heels ace was named the ACC’s Pitcher of the Year Monday afternoon, becoming the first UNC pitcher to win the award since J.B. Bukauskas in 2017 and the fifth overall, the most in the conference. 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐞 🏆 Jake Knapp is the ACC Pitcher of […]
John Montgomery, Executive Director of UNC's Rams Club, Announces Retirement
John Montgomery, who has served as the executive director of The Rams Club at UNC for more than 24 years, announced Monday that he would retire at the end of the 2025 calendar year. The Rams Club is the official athletic booster organization for UNC athletics. “Sharie and I love Carolina and will always be […]
Bill Belichick at UNC: The Full Timeline
Bill Belichick’s tenure as the UNC head football coach has been full of twists and turns since his shocking hiring to lead the program in Dec. 2024. Since arriving in Chapel Hill, the six-time Super Bowl winning head coach has attracted national attention — for both Carolina’s on-field prospects and headlines around his book tour […]
Chansky's Notebook: Knapp Time!
Diamond Heels ace Jake Knapp has lived up to his name by putting opposing hitters to sleep all season long.
UNC Wins Multiple Titles at ACC Track & Field Championships
UNC senior Parker Wolfe became the first runner ever to win the 5,000 and 10,000 meter titles in consecutive seasons at the ACC Outdoor Track & Field Championships this week in Winston-Salem. Wolfe was named the men’s track MVP while helping the Tar Heels finish second in the championship’s team leaderboard. The women’s team finished […]
›