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Cabarrus commissioners recognize Juneteenth in 4–1 vote after brief controversy
Summary
The Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners approved a Juneteenth proclamation but recorded a 4–1 vote after Commissioner Pittman publicly opposed the measure and several residents criticized the no vote as denying history.
The Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners voted 4–1 on June 15 to proclaim June 19 as Juneteenth in Cabarrus County.
Sabrina Berry, identified as the Western regional coordinator for the Frederick Douglass Foundation of North Carolina, read a proclamation tracing Juneteenth’s history and called for residents to observe the anniversary. After the reading, the board voted to adopt the proclamation; Commissioner Pittman cast the lone no vote. "I don't support it because it is based on a lie," Pittman said during general comments, asserting historical details about emancipation and marking Dec. 18, 1865, as the correct date to celebrate the end of slavery.
Several members of the public who spoke during the comment period criticized that stance. Robert Matan, a Concord resident, told the board that rejecting the Juneteenth proclamation amounts to denying established historical facts: "It is fact," he said, urging officials to recognize the historical significance of June 19.
Board members did not reverse the vote. The proclamation was adopted and the board encouraged residents to participate in Juneteenth events across the county and the region.
