Communities across Tennessee and beyond mark August 8 as Emancipation Day, tracing the date to 1863 when Andrew Johnson freed the people he had enslaved.
At a Glance
- Date
- 8 August 1863
- Location
- Tennessee
- Category
- Emancipation & Reconstruction
- Source
- Regional emancipation traditions · National Park Service
What It Meant Then
It became one of the earliest and most enduring Black freedom commemorations.
What It Means Now
The 'Eighth of August' jubilee is still observed across the Upper South.
Cite this page
- MLA
- “The Eighth of August Emancipation Celebration.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/on-this-day/the-eighth-of-august-emancipation-celebration/.
- APA
- Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). The Eighth of August Emancipation Celebration. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/the-eighth-of-august-emancipation-celebration/
- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “The Eighth of August Emancipation Celebration.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/the-eighth-of-august-emancipation-celebration/.
Editorial Note
By the Black-History.com editors. Last reviewed 30 September 2026. To suggest a primary source or a correction, write to editors@black-history.com or use our corrections form.