The U.S. House of Representatives passes a constitutional amendment permanently abolishing slavery in America. This significant legislation marked the first constitutional restriction on individual rights, solidifying emancipation.
Tag: Emancipation
Abraham Lincoln’s 1864 Message to Congress
The Thirty-eighth U.S. Congress receives President Abraham Lincoln’s annual message. With the Confederacy on the verge of defeat, Lincoln emphasizes optimism regarding the future. He focuses mainly on pushing Congress to abolish slavery and reinforcing his commitment to the Confederacy’s unconditional surrender.
Cleburne Proposes Black Recruitment
Patrick R. Cleburne, one of the best division commanders in the Confederate Army of Tennessee, writes an extraordinary letter proposing that the Confederacy induct slaves into the military.
The Emancipation Proclamation
President Abraham Lincoln signs the executive order emancipating all slaves in states and parts of states controlled by the Confederacy.
The Proclamation Aftermath
News of the Emancipation Proclamation spreads throughout the country and does not quite get the reception that Abraham Lincoln had hoped for.
The Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation
Abraham Lincoln issues his decree stating “that all persons held as slaves” within rebellious areas “are, and henceforward shall be free” if those areas do not submit to Federal authority by January 1.