June 18. Gov. Roy Cooper has proclaimed tomorrow Juneteenth Day in North Carolina, honoring the oldest known commemoration of the abolition of slavery in the United States.

“As we celebrate Black heritage, history and freedom, it’s critical that we also take this opportunity to both celebrate the progress we’ve made and accept the challenge we still face to achieve true racial equality,” Cooper said. “By addressing the systemic racism that has been in our communities for centuries, we can create a more just and equitable future.”

Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas and announced the news of freedom, reaching some of the last enslaved men and women in the United States.

To read the proclamation, click here.