The Emancipation Proclamation: A Swift Revolutionary Declaration

The Emancipation Proclamation is a historical document issued by President Abraham Lincoln to declare the freedom of those enslaved in Confederate states during the American Civil War. Celebrated during the Black History Month and in the African-American community, the Emancipation Proclamation changed not only the course of the Civil War, but the course of United States’ history.

Overview of the Proclamation

The Emancipation Proclamation was issued in 1863 after the Union’s victory at the Battle of Antietam, making the abolition of slavery an official war goal. Lincoln made it clear that freeing the slaves was a major reason for the Union to continue fighting the war, and this had a great impact on the coalition of forces in the Anti-Slavery movement. The Proclamation declared “all persons held as slaves” within the Confederate-controlled areas of the United States to be “then, thenceforward, and forever free.”

It also dictated that slaves were to be treated, “in the light of an act of service to the country” and commanded the Union army to insure they were treated justly. The Proclamation did not fundamentally change the status of slavery in Union-controlled areas, and did not apply to the four slave-holding border states of Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, and Missouri. Nor did it apply to the slave population of Washington D.C. and parts of the Confederacy that had already come under Union control.

The Impact of the Proclamation

The Emancipation Proclamation was a huge step forward for the Anti-Slavery Movement and showed the Confederate states in no uncertain terms that the Union now stood for complete freedom for all enslaved persons within its borders. Along with the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, the Proclamation not only declared the freedom of the slaves but laid the groundwork for their civil rights, rights which would be further ratified by the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments.

For African-Americans, the Proclamation is a symbol of hope and resilience. It was a trailblazing move that helped to catalyze the sea change that was already beginning to ripple across the country. Without the impactful decision of President Abraham Lincoln, this change to the ‘peculiar institution’ of slavery may not have come into existence. Even today, the Proclamation’s message of freedom, justice and civil rights still resonates with those in the African-American community. Its legacy will be remembered in future generations.