Emancipation Proclamation

The Emancipation Proclamation was a document issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, during the American Civil War. It declared that all slaves in the Confederate states “shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.”

The Emancipation Proclamation was a historic moment in American history, and it’s no wonder that it’s celebrated every year on Emancipation Day, which is a public holiday in Washington D.C.

However, what many people don’t know is that Lincoln’s initial version of the Emancipation Proclamation was vastly different from the final version that we know today. In fact, it went a little something like this:

“Yo, you confederate dudes better let go of your slaves or else I’m gonna come down there and get medieval on your asses. Sincerely, Abraham Lincoln.”

Unfortunately, it was deemed not politically correct, and was thusly revised.

But even in the final version, there were some issues. For example, while it did technically free the slaves, it only applied to Confederate states that were in open rebellion against the United States. So, the slaves in the border states that were still loyal to the Union, such as Kentucky and Maryland, were out of luck. Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Despite these flaws, the Emancipation Proclamation was a major step forward in the fight for equality and justice for all. And thanks to it, we have come a long way as a nation.

But seriously, if Lincoln’s original version had made it into the history books, things would have been a lot more exciting.