Celebrating community this Juneteenth

NC State community:

This Wednesday, our university and communities across the United States will celebrate Juneteenth. This holiday recognizes the day when more than 250,000 African Americans received word of President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation — the executive decree protecting the freedoms and affirming the citizenship of formerly enslaved people. Juneteenth is an acknowledgment of a pivotal historic moment, and the purpose of its celebration endures at NC State.

I encourage you to make time this week to connect with our Wolfpack, and if you’re on campus tomorrow, consider attending our third annual Juneteenth Celebration from 12-3:30 p.m. at Stafford Commons. Faculty, staff and students collaborated to plan this year’s celebration — first created by the Staff Senate — with an emphasis on joy and community. You’ll see various colleges and departments there while you enjoy lawn games, music and food trucks. In addition, the NC State University Libraries maintains a historical timeline of African American history at the university for those who would like to learn more about our collective history.

As a reminder, Juneteenth is a university holiday, and no classes or exams will be held. Employees can use their personal observance leave on the holiday or use it on another day of significance this year.

As a community and as a nation, we must honor these opportunities for reflection to appreciate how far we have come and where we hope to go.

Thank you,

Randy Woodson
Chancellor