President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation goes into effect, declaring that all enslaved people in Confederate-held territory 'shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.'
At a Glance
- Date
- 1 January 1863
- Location
- Washington, D.C.
- Key people
- Abraham Lincoln
- Category
- Emancipation & Reconstruction
- Source
- Emancipation Proclamation, January 1, 1863 (National Archives) · National Archives
What It Meant Then
It redefined the Civil War as a war against slavery and authorized the enlistment of Black soldiers into the Union Army.
What It Means Now
Watch Night services on New Year's Eve in many Black churches still commemorate the 'Freedom's Eve' wait for the proclamation.
Also on 1 January
Cite this page
- MLA
- “The Emancipation Proclamation Takes Effect.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/on-this-day/the-emancipation-proclamation-takes-effect/.
- APA
- Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). The Emancipation Proclamation Takes Effect. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/the-emancipation-proclamation-takes-effect/
- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “The Emancipation Proclamation Takes Effect.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/the-emancipation-proclamation-takes-effect/.
Editorial Note
By the Black-History.com editors. Last reviewed 30 September 2026. To suggest a primary source or a correction, write to editors@black-history.com or use our corrections form.