CINCINNATI, OH (August 27, 2018) – On September 22, 2018, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center joins the statewide commemoration of President Abraham Lincoln’s preliminary emancipation proclamation to abolish slavery in 1862. Visitors can experience dramatic readings of the African American folktale
The People Could Fly, participate in a conversation with the museum’s senior historian Carl Westmoreland, and join the screening of
Civil War: The Untold Story. Emancipation Day programming is included in general admission.
While the Emancipation Proclamation wasn’t officially ordered until January 1, 1863, the preliminary proclamation of September 22, 1862 was the first step towards freeing the enslaved with President Lincoln stating that, “if the rebels did not end the fighting and rejoin the Union by January 1, 1863, all slaves in the rebellious states would be free.” The Confederate Army did not concede. Three months later the Emancipation Proclamation was issued.
“The legacy of emancipation in the United States is incredibly complex,” says Jacqueline K. Dace, Deputy Director of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. “Commemorating Emancipation Day promotes a greater understanding of our shared history regarding a document that is often forgotten in the struggle for freedom.”
Ohio regards Emancipation Day as a state holiday every September 22. The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center joins the 155th commemoration and 2018 theme, Our Future Is To Be Forever Free, providing an opportunity for everyone to learn, reflect, and understand the history surrounding enslavement and emancipation.
The commemoration of Emancipation Day at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center is Saturday, September 22, from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Emancipation Day programming is included in general admission. For more information visit freedomcenter.org.
