Above drawing depicts President Abraham Lincoln presenting the draft
of his proclamation to his Cabinet. In it Lincoln stated, “as a fit and
necessary military measure, on January 1, 1863, all persons held
as slaves in the Confederate States will thenceforward, and
forever, be free.”
Page one of the Proclamation
This is the fifth and last page of the Emancipation Proclamation with
the official seal and signature of Abraham Lincoln.
A picture of the actual pen used by Lincoln to sign the Proclamation
