There are two dates on the North Carolina flag. The first date listed is April 12th, 1776, or the date of the Halifax Resolves being unanimously adopted by the Fourth Provincial Congress of North Carolina in the town of Halifax. The North Carolina State Library’s website, NCPedia, describes the Halifax Resolves as “the first official action by a colony that called for severance of ties to Britain and independence for the colonies.”

An excerpt from the Halifax Resolves:

“…our Committee are of Opinion that the house should enter into the following Resolve, to wit

“Resolved that the delegates for this Colony in the Continental Congress be impowered to concur with the other delegates of the other Colonies in declaring Independency, and forming foreign Alliances, resolving to this Colony the Sole, and Exclusive right of forming a Constitution and Laws for this Colony, and of appointing delegates from time to time (under the direction of a general Representation thereof to meet the delegates of the other Colonies for such purposes as shall be hereafter pointed out.”

John Penn, was elected by North Carolina’s Provincial Congress to serve in the Continental Congress in 1775. He returned to Halifax, North Carolina three days after the Halifax Resolves were approved, and remained there until June when North Carolina’s Provincial Congress adjourned. Penn, along with fellow North Carolina delegates William Hooper and Joseph Hewes, signed the Declaration of Independence in July 1776.

On April 17th Penn wrote to John Adams, one of the key figures in the Continental Congress’ drafting of the Declaration of Independence, 

“All regard or fondness for the King or the nation of Britain is gone, a total separation is what they want. Independance is the word most used. They ask if it is possible that any Colony after what has passed can wish for a Reconciliation, the Convention have tried to get the opinion the People at large, I am told that in many Counties there were not one dissenting voice.”