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
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