Summary:
In this two-part clip from FOURTEEN: A Theatrical Performance, a performer embodying President Lincoln reads an excerpt of the Emancipation Proclamation. Another performer reads an 1864 letter written by Annie Davis, an enslaved woman who, upon hearing of the proclamation, seeks President Lincoln’s guidance on if she can freely travel to visit her family. Once you have watched the clip use the discussion questions below to explore the political and social changes brought on by the Emancipation Proclamation.
Background:
President Lincoln used his presidential war powers to issue the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. The act declared the freedom of about 3.2 million enslaved people in areas under rebellion. Although the proclamation did not apply to the border states like Maryland, Delaware, Kentucky, Missouri, and West Virginia, it represented a significant policy shift toward the abolition of slavery.
Discussion Questions:
- What are three words that stand out to you during the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation? During the letter? How do those words reflect the changes during the Civil War?
- Why did the Emancipation Proclamation include that newly freed slaves would be welcome in the Armed Services?
- Was Annie Davis free to visit her family? Did the Emancipation Proclamation free her from slavery? If not, why?
Primary Sources:
- Emancipation Proclamation; 1/1/1863; Presidential Proclamations, 1791-2011; General Records of the United States Government, Record Group 11; National Archives Building, Washington, DC
- Letter from Annie Davis to Abraham Lincoln; 8/25/1864; 1864 D-304; Letters Received, 1863-1888; Records of the Adjutant General’s Office, Record Group 94; National Archives Building, Washington, DC
- Interactive Constitution: 13th Amendment – Abolition of Slavery https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/amendment/amendment-xiii
- Interactive Constitution: 14th Amendment – Citizenship Rights, Equal Protection, Apportionment, Civil War Debt https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/amendment/amendment-xiv
Click here for a printable version of the Fourteenth Amendment Discussion Starter questions!
