This Month in History : The Emancipation Proclamation

On Jan. 1, 1863, Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation went into effect. He had drafted the Emancipation Proclamation after the Battle of Antietam. It marked a turning point of Abraham Lincoln's view on freeing African American Slaves. While it did not immediately free the slaves it expressly made the point of the Civil War about freeing the slaves. It also allowed African Americans to join the Union Army and Navy. As a result, 180,000 African Americans joined the Army and the Navy. It was also an important moment for local DC history. If you want to know more about the Emancipation Proclamation and the Civil War come to the DC Public Library to learn more.

Check out these books about the Emancipation Proclamation:

• Lincoln's gamble: the tumultuous six months that gave the Emancipation Proclamation and changed the course of the Civil War by Todd Brewster
• Freedom national: the destruction of slavery in the United States, 1861-1865 by James Oakes
• The thin light of freedom: the Civil War and emancipation in the heart of America by Edward L. Ayers

The Library also has online resources on the Emancipation Proclamation and the Civil War.