Main Content

Reading of the Emancipation Proclamation

Reading of the Emancipation Proclamation

Creator: Francis Bicknell Carpenter, 1864.

"First Reading of the Emancipation Proclamation." On January 1, 1863, President Lincoln issued one of the greatest achievements of his administration: the Emancipation Proclamation. This document freed slaves in states in rebellion against the union. In this painting, Lincoln sits with his cabinet, ready to read the Proclamation. Books, maps, and papers are strewn about, evidence of the long hours of work caused by the Civil War.

Credit
White House Historical Association (White House Collection)