Emancipation Proclamation: From Slaves To African American
4 Pages 1048 Words
The emancipation of the slaves in 1863 did not free African Americans at that time, and today many of us are still in the search of freedom in more ways then one. In the fall of 1862, after the Union Army victory at Antietam, President Lincoln issued a preliminary proclamation, warning that on January 1, 1863, he would free all the slaves still in rebellion. This preliminary proclamation set the stage for the emancipation of the slaves. But due to the Dred Scott decision, which clouded the intent of the proclamation, neither President Lincoln nor Congress knew exactly the constitutional powers they had in freeing the slaves.
African American students are subjected to the belief that President Lincoln and the Democratic Party so loved them, and felt their pain; the Union would fight for their freedom because the slaves could not do it for themselves. President Lincoln and the Union Army of the North did not enter into the war with freeing slaves on their minds; instead the president was mostly interested in preserving the Union. At the time the South held a disproportionate amount of the wealth of the country. Moreover, the federal government had no way to enforce the proclamation. My opinion is that Lincoln used this propaganda to help enlist of the slaves into his army as the Union made advancements south and created a means for our end.
Throughout the history of this land America, African Americans have always been there to lend a hand in conflicts inland and overseas. Many of our young men and women are presently deployed around the world, however; the most visible are in Iraq. We all commend them for their bravery and resolve. Again ex-slaves are the byproduct of ulterior motives, because they were not seen as true Americans by this generation of “white” America until 9/11. Let us discuss further ramifications and misinformation subjugated to Black America following the said implementation of the Emancipation Proclamation...