2. Who: African Americans
-notable African Americans – Frederick Douglass
-free and enslaved
What: Reactions to the issuance of the
Emancipation Proclamation
When: January 1, 1863
Where: North and South
3. Major Points
How blacks were informed of the Proclamation
Positive view of the issuance and of Lincoln
-Celebrations in the North and the South
Negative view
Gratitude for progress
4. Informed Uninformed
distribute
Order from Gen. Milroy
-New York Henry Cheatam and Mary
Informal slave grapevine Estes Peters
James Simms -Mississippi and
-Georgia Arkansas
The Government Printing
Office and Governor John Slaveholders attempted to
Andrew created copies to hide the news
5. Celebrations
New York Sermons
New Jersey General interchange
Massachusetts of sentiments
Illinois Masses
Washington DC Music
South Carolina Supper
Pennsylvania Parades
Religious services
6. Negative
DOUGLASS' MONTHLY - March, 1863
REBEL VIEW OF THE PROCLAMATION
“I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with
the institution of slavery in the States where it exists. “
Jerone Bennett
Forced into Glory: Abraham Lincoln’s White
Dream
“…the gravest charge that one can place against him is
that he betrayed the trust of four million slaves who, not
having reliable information, believed Lincoln was their
7. Frederick Douglass
Admitted some disappointment in the
Proclamation
Tremont Temple hosted a meeting for many
great black abolitionists
“thanked God that he was alive to see the end of slavery.”
8. Gratitude for progress
THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER - January 3, 1863
THE PRESIDENT'S PROCLAMATION
DOUGLASS' MONTHLY - February, 1863
REJOICING OVER THE PROCLAMATION
DOUGLASS' MONTHLY - February, 1863
THE RESULTS OF THE PROCLAMATION.
THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER - January 30, 1864
EMANCIPATION CELEBRATION AT WILMINGTON
9. Discussion
What were your initial thoughts on this topic?
Were you surprised that slaves were
celebrating, even though they were aware that
they wouldn’t immediately be freed?
10. Picture references
Sources:
Primary: African American newspapers, slave
narratives, poems
Secondary: Allen Guelzo, Lerone Bennett, and Eric
Foner
http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/EmanP
roc.html
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/alhtml/almintr.html
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p1539.html