February is an important month in the history of emancipation in the U.S., as it marks the signing of the 13th Amendment, in 1865, and the issuance of a symbolic proclamation and practical step toward ending slavery, which allowed Black Americans to serve in the Union Army. February is also the month that remembers the surrender of Fort Henry, the Battle of Roanoke Island, and the inauguration of Jefferson Davis as President of the Confederacy.
In 1949, President Harry Truman signed a bill establishing National Freedom Day, observed each year on February 1, to commemorate the day Abraham Lincoln signed the 13th Amendment to abolish slavery. Not surprisingly, February was also selected as Black History Month, established by Dr. Carter G. Woodson in 1926, and first officially observed by President Gerald Ford, in 1976, as a way to highlight the history, struggles, and accomplishments of African Americans.
Our February speaker will be Dr. Andy Waskie, who returns to the Civil War Round Table of Eastern Pa. stage to introduce a black man who became a Union soldier, emancipation hero and, later, a martyr. Hope you’ll be able to join us.
Barry