Eighth of August, Another Reason To Celebrate

In recent years, Juneteenth has grown from an obscure regional Texas festival to a national holiday. In the meantime, other similar Emancipation Days are still observed around the country on unique days.

One is Eighth of August, which takes place in parts of western Kentucky and Tennessee. Historian Dr. Nancy Dawson helps us further unpack the heritage, and the present day status of this celebration.

Highlights:

Highlights of the interview are included for convenient listening.

• The origins of Eighth of August (0:00)
• How the celebrations have changed over the years (2:00)
• Emancipation celebrations and family reunions (4:45)
• The impact of current events on heritage (7:43)
• The international connection (9:10)
• Russellville, KY small town, big history (11:18)
• The importance of sharing the tradition (12:59)

Re/sources:

• Eighth of August, KET, February 1, 2014 https://www.ket.org/program/kentucky-life/eighth-of-august-34260/
• The Eighth of August: Emancipation Day In Tennessee, August 3, 2018, Tennessee Historical Society https://tennesseehistory.org/eighth-august-emancipation-day-tennessee/
• Juneteenth federal holiday would not affect Eighth of August, June 17, 2021, Paducah Sun https://www.paducahsun.com/news/juneteenth-federal-holiday-would-not-affect-eighth-of-august/article_5a5a32fe-8882-5ae7-8b66-579e4fa8cb48.html
• Eighth of August History, Beck Center https://www.beckcenter.net/eighth-of-august-history