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Emancipation Day, also known as Eighth of August, celebrates the announcement of the abolition of slavery in Tennessee and Kentucky.
Council member Wanda Smith, who sponsored an ordinance to make Eighth of August an official city holiday in February, said Emancipation Day s is essential to the community as the day freed enslaved people in the state of Tennessee, impacted the Civil War and changed the course of history for tens of millions of African-Americans.
The Emancipation Proclamation was announced on Jan. 1, 1863, but it didn t go into effect in Tennessee until August 8 when former Lt. Governor Andrew Johnson freed masses from slavery.
Clarksville NowCasey WilliamsJuneteenth celebration held on Peachers Mill Road on June 19, 2020.
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – A resolution to make Juneteenth a recognized city holiday received resounding support from City Council members at an executive session meeting this week.
The resolution would allow city employees to take a paid holiday each June 19.
Ward 8 Councilwoman Wanda Allen, who wrote the resolution, said the city should join Montgomery County, which made Juneteenth a county holiday in summer 2020.
“I would like to see this City Council go ahead and make Juneteenth a celebrated city holiday so we can show that we are the diverse city that we say we are and we accept people from all races, all shades, all genders, all everything. Let this be a day for celebration in our city,” Allen said at the meeting Thursday night.