Emancipation Proclamation

The Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation was issued September 22, 1862, by President Abraham Lincoln. The Preliminary Proclamation informed the seceded states of the loss of their enslaved if they did not rejoin the Union before January 1, 1863. They did not rejoin the Union. President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, declaring enslaved individual in the seceded states forever free. A close analysis of the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation and the Emancipation Proclamation gives students a clear picture of what those documents did in the time period they were written. A broader analysis focused on the enduring meaning of these documents and how that meaning has changed over time allows students to engage in a civic discussion about the impact of the Emancipation on American society today. The resources on this page can be used individually or collectively with middle and high school students, as well as college students, to provide opportunities for primary source analysis and civic engagement.