North Carolina Juneteenth flag-raising ceremony takes place in Durham

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- The North Carolina Juneteenth flag-raising ceremony took place in Durham.

The ceremony took place at Durham County Courthouse on South Dillard Street.

This ceremony is the kick-off of the annual 18th NC Juneteenth celebration that takes place in the Bull City on June 17 - 18.

2023 marks the 157th anniversary of Juneteenth, the holiday that recognizes the first day of freedom for enslaved Africans in Texas and commemorates the end of slavery in the United States as a whole.

VIDEO: What to know about the Juneteenth flag

Red, white and blue are the colors of the American flag, but they also grace the face of another quintessential American banner: the official Juneteenth flag.