Who Freed the Slaves?

On January 1, 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation became law. Conceived as a pragmatic measure to hasten the end of a bloody civil war, the Proclamation declared millions of slaves to be “forever free.” Americans naturally identify this momentous event with Abraham Lincoln, who became widely known as “The Great Emancipator.” While Lincoln undoubtedly played a key role in ending slavery, were political figures alone responsible for this momentous event? Historians have come to see emancipation as the result of a broader social movement which worked tirelessly to force Americans to confront the moral and economic consequences of slavery. The slaves themselves were a key part of this movement. By fleeing to Union lines, serving as Union soldiers, and insisting on full equality, they set the stage for their own liberation.
This talk is based on an exhibit at the Special Collections Department at Davidson Library. The exhibit is based on documents and artifacts from UCSB’s Wyles Collection—a treasure trove of original nineteenth-century materials about Lincoln, the Civil War, and the American West.

John Majewski is Professor of History at UCSB, and Associate Dean of Humanities and Fine Arts.

For questions, or if you need special arrangements to accommodate a disability, please call the UCSB Office of Public Events at 893-2877.

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