The Emancipation Proclamation was a landmark moment in Black history, signed by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, during the American Civil War. This executive order declared the freedom of all enslaved people in Confederate-held territory, effectively changing the legal status of 3.5 million enslaved African Americans in the Confederate states from "slave" to "free."

While the Emancipation Proclamation did not immediately free all enslaved people in the United States, it signaled a significant shift in the purpose of the Civil War, framing it as a fight not only to preserve the Union but also to end the institution of slavery. The proclamation also paved the way for the eventual passage of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which formally abolished slavery in the United States in 1865.

The Emancipation Proclamation was a crucial step toward the eventual liberation of African Americans from bondage and marked a turning point in the struggle for civil rights and equality in the United States. It remains a central milestone in Black history, symbolizing the ongoing fight for freedom and justice for all.