The North Carolina Official Juneteenth Flag-Raising Ceremony will be held outside the Durham County Courthouse on June 2. Now in its third year, the event is scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m., with the flag expected to be raised around 12 p.m., as reported by the Durham County Sheriff's Office.
Now held annually, the Juneteenth Flag-Raising marks the beginning of North Carolina’s month-long observance of Juneteenth. The event includes participation from civic leaders and community members. According to the announcement, the Montford Point Marines—recognized as the first African Americans to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps—are scheduled to raise the flag during the ceremony.
Spectacular Magazine, the Triangle Cultural Awareness Foundation, and Durham County Government are jointly hosting the free event which will celebrate its fourth year since Durham County Government officially marked Juneteenth as a County holiday. Contributions for the ceremony will include "The Juneteenth Story" by Attorney Larry Hall and a musical performance by Dr. Charity Godfrey Davis, according to the official annoucement.
The ceremony will include appearances from guests and speakers such as Durham County Sheriff Clarence F. Birkhead, Durham County Manager Bo Ferguson, and Durham County Commissioner Wendy Jacobs, who are scheduled to participate in the reading of historical Freedom Documents. Phyllis Coley, North Carolina Juneteenth State Director, is set to deliver the closing remarks, highlighting the significance of the observance.
The official Juneteenth Flag will grace the skyline from June 2-19 at the Durham County Courthouse, inviting the public to engage with the symbol of resilience and collective memory leading up to the national observance on June 19. "It is an honor to witness the Juneteenth flag rise over Durham — now for the third consecutive year – as part of our 20th Annual NC Juneteenth Celebration," Coley told the Durham County Sheriff's Office. "This tradition holds deep cultural meaning for our community. I am especially grateful to the Durham County Government and the Durham County Sheriff’s Office for their continued support. Raising the flag on the first Monday in June gives us a moment to center our celebrations in remembrance, pride, and unity."
