Emancipation Day celebrated in Clarksville with food, music, dancing, inspiration | PHOTOS | ClarksvilleNow.com – Clarksville Now

CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Emancipation Day Celebration, a block party with great food, dancing, music, history and words of inspiration, was held Saturday on Franklin Street.

The evening began with Wanda Smith welcoming hundreds to the event. The posting of colors by members of the Lonnell Williams American Legion Post 143 was followed by a performance of the Black national anthem by Mary Bracey, and an opening prayer by First Lady Cynthia Pitts.

Vincent Price gave the official reading of the Emancipation Proclamation at the Emancipation Day event on Aug. 5, 2023. (Tony Centonze)

Storyteller and Clarksville native, Tammy Hall brought the block party crowd to their feet at the Emancipation Day event on Aug. 5, 2023. (Tony Centonze)

Robert Vance of Keondra’s cooking up some food at the Emancipation Day event on Aug. 5, 2023. (Tony Centonze)

Rapper, Brooks Robinson, aka Real Tawk was one of the featured performers at the Emancipation Day event on Aug. 5, 2023. (Tony Centonze)

Members of Dynamic Dollz Dance Team performed at the Emancipation Day event on Aug. 5, 2023. (Tony Centonze)

Officer Trevor Bischoff, handing out ice pops to help the crowd stay cool at the Emancipation Day event on Aug. 5, 2023. (Tony Centonze)

Mayor Joe Pitts and Mayor Pro Tem Wanda Smith going over the program at the Emancipation Day event on Aug. 5, 2023. (Tony Centonze)

James Atkins of Smoked Goodies, was serving up smoked pork, chicken, and brisket at the Emancipation Day event on Aug. 5, 2023. (Tony Centonze)

Jackie Kelley, aka Jackie O, performed some of her original gospel songs at the Emancipation Day event on Aug. 5, 2023. (Tony Centonze)

Guthrie, Kentucky’s Quadricus Quarles, one of several performers at the Emancipation Day event on Aug. 5, 2023. (Tony Centonze)

Elsie Henderson talked about Tennessee’s Emancipation Day history at the Emancipation Day event on Aug. 5, 2023. (Tony Centonze)

Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts shared some of his favorite Scriptures at the Emancipation Day event on Aug. 5, 2023. (Tony Centonze)

Clarksville Councilwoman Wanda Allen and David Allen, having fun at the Emancipation Day event on Aug. 5, 2023. (Tony Centonze)

Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts said, “This is not a city event, this is an event put together by Wanda Smith, and we love to come out and support her at this great spot on Franklin Street where so much of this community’s African-American history and business history got started. This always is a party, and a great time for everyone.”

The evening continued with musical performances by Quadricus Quarles and Brook Robinson (aka Real Tawk), and Jackie Kelley (aka Jackie O. Vincent Price) read the Emancipation Proclamation, dance teams performed, and others read scripture.

“The significance of the eighth day of August is that it’s the day Tennessee got word that the slaves were free,” Smith said. “It was in 1863 that Andrew Johnson freed his slaves. His son Sam Johnson put together the first Emancipation Day Celebration in 1871 in Greeneville, Tennessee.”

Smith said that event is the first one we know about, because there was a story about it in the Knoxville Chronicle.

“We celebrate to commemorate our freedom,” Smith continued. “We don’t know the exact date, and I don’t know if all slaves were free that day, but we know this as Emancipation Day in Tennessee, as recognized by former Gov. (Phil) Bredesen and the state legislature. We’ve been celebrating this for many years.”

Smith takes pride in organizing the event, as a “community servant who has been working in this community for almost 50years. I reach out to local businesses and non-profits in the community to help put this event on and they always respond.”