George Clem 2014 High School Reunion: A Field of Dreams

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The African-American community of Greeneville, Tennessee threw a party on the weekend of August 2, 2014.

But it wasn't just ANY party.

It was a reunion party that commemorates the 8th of August Emancipation Day in Tennessee, where classmates, neighbors, friends and the faithful of the former George Clem Elementary/High School gather with the rest of Greeneville and people of the surrounding area, to celebrate the heritage of, not only the school, but the significance of the day all slaves were freed in Tennessee during the Civil War.

The reunion is hosted annually by the George Clem Multi-Cultural Alliance.

"Our group puts on this event, in conjunction with the 8th of August Celebration," says Gene Maddox, school historian. "We began that commemoration here in Greeneville, Tennessee which eventually spread to the entire state, as a statewide commemoration. It's a great reason to bring the community together for a fun event."

Fun was the word on the George Clem former football practice field on the west side of downtown Greeneville on August 2nd. The "8th of August" Emancipation Day Celebration in Greeneville is held each year on the first weekend of August, regardless of the day of the week upon which the actual 8th falls.

Thhis year's festivities began at noon, and everywhere you went, there was booths set up with displays, along with local election candidates who lobbied for votes as Election Day, August 7th approached.

One of the popular displays was the exhibit from the nearby Andrew Johnson Museum, sponsored by the National Park Service. After President Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves, Tennessee-military-Governor-at-the-time Johnson freed his own slaves. When Lincoln was assassinated two years later, Johnson, who had become Vice President, made sure the Emancipation Proclamation was carried out.

Many of Greeneville's African-American community hold Johnson up to high regard, and the exhibit, as always, received a lot of attention.

For the kids, inflatable kept them occupied, along with the George Clem playground, not to mention a toy train ride that encircled the field. Meanwhile, lots of entertainment kept the adult "reunioners" busy. The afternoon/late afternoon entertainment, hosted by popular radio personality Woody J, encompassed several activities pertaining to, and commemorating the historic "8th of August" event of 151 years ago.

Musical early-evening activies included performances by area praise and African dance teams, including the multi-gifted New Vision Youth of Kingsport, and the male gospel ensemble "Witness."

And then, there was the food.

Everything from ribs to chicken wings, from funnel cakes to hamburgers, filled up many a tummy on this warm Saturday afternoon. Many visitors commented on how inexpensive the food and drinks were, and good food was had by all.

After presentations for the oldest alumni at the reunion, the fartherest traveled, among others, the presentation of the GCMA's "The Dream Made Real" scholarships were made to this year's recipients,

The main entertainment of the event was the funk-rock/R&B/soul hybrid band the JayStorm Project, featuring Greeneville native frontman Jay Storm.

Sponsors of this event include the Bartlett Patterson Corporation and The Tennessee Arts Commission.

The local Aug. 2nd celebration that commemorates the 8th of August Tennessee Emancipation Day has been described through the years as, as Maddox calls it, "one, big community 'family reunion' memorializing and honoring a day that is so historically significant to the beginning of African-American freedom in Tennessee."

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2014 George Clem High School Reunion - Video Maker