June 19 is celebrated in many areas of the United States as Emancipation Day, or Juneteenth. It is meant to commemorate the emancipation of slaves after the Civil War. Trigg County, though, will be marking the occasion on Aug. 8 with a downtown African-American historical exhibit.

The Trigg County African American Historical Preservation Society has been working with Renaissance on Main and exhibit planner Nancy J. Dawson.

“August 8 has always been a day when African-American people came together to remember their emancipation from slavery,” Dawson said in a press release. “However, it is only in parts of Kentucky and Middle Tennessee that Emancipation Day has consistently been celebrated on August 8.”

Dawson is an African-American research consultant who has developed exhibits in Logan County and other places in Kentucky. She was the lead curator of the Alice Allison Dunnigan exhibit, which was showcased at Kentucky State University this year. Dunnigan was born in Russellville and was the first African-American woman to be part of the White House Press Corps, Dawson said. She also said she used to be Director of Black Studies at Austin Peay University.

Learn more about emancipation celebrations in your new Cadiz Record.