June 21st 2023.
The original Emancipation Proclamation, signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, is now on permanent display at the National Archives in Washington. On the second annual Juneteenth, Black people from all over the country flocked to the nation's capital to get a glimpse of the rare document.
The fragile documents are normally kept in a climate-controlled vault, with limited light exposure to maintain preservation. But the National Archives has decided to make it a permanent display. President Joe Biden signed Juneteenth into a federal holiday in 2021, and Colleen Shogan, an archivist at the National Archives, is proud to have the document out for public viewing.
The plan is to have the document on permanent display next to the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. Shogan believes that these documents together tell a comprehensive story of the history of all Americans, and demonstrate the progress of the nation towards a more perfect Union.
Parents and visitors took the time to explain the document's significance and why seeing it on Juneteenth is so important. Beth Short said that if we don't have these conversations, the same struggles will keep repeating. Garrett Osumah, who is raising three Black boys, told the Washington Post that it's important for them to understand that these things happened in the world, and are still happening now.
Seeing the Emancipation Proclamation on Juneteenth is a powerful reminder of how far the country has come, and how far it still has to go. The National Archives is proud to be able to preserve this important document and display it for all to see.
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