Here in my part of the world, August 8 has always been celebrated as [bleep] Day, or as they call it. 'Mancipation Day. There was a Negro church that was next to the place that I grew up on, and every year they would have a big celebration. It would start on the evening of the 7th, with the fire started for the barbeque that would be cooked overnight, usually sheep and hog. If the wind was right, we could smell the meat cooking. Then there would be a huge crowd on the 8th, and they'd party all day.
It was like that in every small town around here, and I guess in the larger ones as well. Every few years, there would be a Negro stabbed or shot during the celebration, as drinking and gambling were also a part of the celebrations...........even on the church grounds. I haven't seen an August 8 celebration in years locally, not in a good many years.
I'd never heard of them celebrating June 19 until now. Guess it's true, you learn something every day.
