Chief Askew's Diary: July 5-6, 1930

He enjoys a big barbecue; Independence Day takes a fearful toll

Coweta County had its annual barbecue on July 5 and Chief Askew enjoyed it thoroughly. He wrote that there was a “good crowd present, and every thing passed off very nice, plenty to eat for every body.” Otherwise, the weekend passed uneventfully, “very little doing in our line.”

Things may have been quiet in Newnan, but the celebration of Independence Day took a heavy toll across the country. The chief headline in the Atlanta Journal on July 5 proclaimed “178 Die in Celebration of Independence Day.” It got worse over the weekend. Paid subscribers can read about how these lives were lost and how the statistics of 1930 compare to today.

This vintage patriotic-themed placecard is being offered by a dealer on eBay.