“I freed a thousand slaves. I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves.” – Harriet Tubman

From “Lincoln 365,” by Arnold Kunst:

November 23

One man, looking decades back on his slave days as a youth of 9, recalled his first awareness of the existence of the thing called the Emancipation Proclamation: 'As the great day drew nearer, there was more singing in the slave quarters than usual. It was bolder, had more ring, and lasted later into the night.... Some man who seemed to be a stranger [a United States officer, I presume] made a little speech and then read a rather long paper—the Emancipation Proclamation, I think. After the reading we were told that we were all free, and could go when and where we pleased. My mother, who was standing by my side, leaned over and kissed her children, while tears of joy ran down her cheeks. She explained to us what it all meant, that this was the day for which she had been so long praying, but fearing that she would never live to see.'

- Booker T. Washington

'I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.'

- Martin Luther King Jr.