President Abraham Lincoln issued a preliminary Emancipation Proclamation in 1862

September 22

On September 22, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issued a preliminary Emancipation Proclamation that announced his plan to free all slaves.

Lincoln’s draft of the Emancipation Proclamation put a 100 day timeline on his plan to free all slaves. 

The official Emancipation Proclamation wasn’t drafted until January 1, 1863. The Emancipation Proclamation is one of the most impactful documents in U.S. history.

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Sources

A&E Television Networks. (n.d.). Lincoln Issues emancipation proclamation. History.com. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/lincoln-issues-emancipation-proclamation