Durham, N.C. - Durham County Government will close most offices in observance of the Juneteenth holiday on Wednesday, June 19, 2024. All County offices will reopen with their normal hours of operation on Thursday, June 20.

A full schedule detailing holidays observed by Durham County Government in 2024 is available here.

Durham County General Services

Convenience Centers

The Durham County General Services Department will close all three of its solid waste and recycling convenience sites on June 19. Durham County residents with a current 2023-2024 solid waste decal can resume disposal of garbage, recycling and yard waste at the County's Convenience sites on June 20. The Northern and Redwood sites open at 7 a.m. and the Parkwood site opens at 10:30 a.m.

Roadside Recycling

Unincorporated residents participating in the County's Roadside Recycling Program (green recycling carts) will have no changes to their recycling collection due to the Juneteenth holiday. Unincorporated residents are reminded that carts should be set out by 6 a.m. on their regularly scheduled pick-up day.

Residents who want to keep track of their recycling collection schedule should download the new "Durham County Recycles" mobile application. Residents can download the mobile app for free on Apple devices in the App Store or Android devices in the Google Play Store.

To learn more about Durham County's Solid Waste Division, call 919-560-0433 or log on to the Durham County Solid Waste webpage.

Durham County Library

All Durham County Library locations will close on Wednesday, June 19, in observance of Juneteenth. All locations will reopen on Thursday, June 20, for regular business hours.

Durham County Library encourages discovery, connects the community, and leads in literacy. For more information about the library, visit DurhamCountyLibrary.org.

Durham County Public Health

The Durham County Department of Public Health (DCoDPH) will follow the Durham County Government Juneteenth holiday schedule, closing on Wednesday, June 19, and reopen on Thursday, June 20.

For Public Health emergencies during the holiday closure, including communicable disease reporting, environmental health and suspected foodborne illnesses, call 911 and ask for the Durham County Department of Public Health's response team member on-call.

For information regarding the about services provided by DCoDPH, please visit www.dcopublichealth.org.

Durham County Social Services

The Durham County Department of Social Services (DSS) will follow the Durham County Government Juneteenth holiday schedule and close on Wednesday, June 19. Residents are encouraged to call 919-560-4600 to reach an on-call social worker to report child abuse and neglect. Call 984-243-1280 to report adult abuse and neglect.

DSS will reopen and operate according to its normal hours of operation on Thursday, June 20.

Get more information about Durham County Department of Social Services here.

Durham County Sheriff

Durham County's Sheriff Office's patrol division, as always, is available 24/7. The Sheriff's Administration and Records Division is open on June 19, but with limited staffing due to the holiday.

Emergency calls should be made by dialing 911 or 919-560-0900.

More information about the Durham County Sheriff's Office and its services available can be found at www.durhamsheriff.com.

Durham County Cooperative Extension

The Durham County Cooperative Extension will close on Wednesday, June 19 for Juneteenth holiday and reopen on Thursday, June 20 with normal business hours.

During the holiday closure, the public may drop off soil sample boxes and pick up sample supplies from the outside station located in the blue box to the right of the Extension building at 721 Foster St.

For information on programming and events from the Extension, visit https://durham.ces.ncsu.edu.

NC Official Juneteenth Flag-Raising on June 5

In honor of the federally recognized holiday of Juneteenth, the second annual North Carolina Official Juneteenth Flag-Raising Ceremony will take place on Wednesday, June 5, at the Durham County Courthouse (510 S. Dillard Street). The ceremony, which will be held outside in front of the building, is scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m., and the flag-raising will take place at noon.

During the event, which is free and open to the public, Buffalo Soldiers historical re-enactors will hoist the Juneteenth flag alongside Durham County Sheriff's Honor Guards, a symbolic act that carries the weight of our history. A ceremonial prayer by Durham NAACP President Rev. Dr. Angelo Burch and a soulful song by renowned vocalist Mary H. Scott will precede the raising of the flag. Durham County Commissioners Vice Chair Nimasheena Burns, Durham County Sheriff Clarence F. Birkhead, and Durham City Council member DeDreana Freeman will welcome attendees. CBS 17 News Anchor Rod Carter will serve as the Master of Ceremonies.

Attorney Larry Hall, former Secretary of North Carolina's Department of Military and Veteran Affairs, will preside over "The Juneteenth Story" portion of the Ceremony. This portion will include the public reading of the three Freedom Documents (Emancipation Proclamation, 13th Amendment, General Order #3) by NC State Representative Zack Hawkins, former NC State Representative Mickey Michaux, and former Durham Mayor Elaine O'Neal, respectively. The NC Official Juneteenth Flag-Raising Ceremony is not just a public event but a community gathering. It is free and open to all, inviting all citizens to participate in this momentous occasion.

Community members and visitors will be able to view the official Juneteenth Flag flying from June 5-19 at the Durham County Courthouse, leading up to the holiday's annual celebrations across the country.