Colonel H.L. Pike
"Slaves no more--free men forever" is a quote from an address by Colonel H. L. Pike at an Emancipation Day Celebration in Raleigh, 1870.
Image: The Daily Standard Raleigh, December 25,1869 published an ad announcing a gathering for the seventh anniversary of Emancipation Day on January 1, 1870.
@IrememberOurHistory®: "Slaves no more--free men forever" is a quote from an address by Colonel H. L. Pike at an Emancipation Day Celebration in Raleigh, 1870.
Image: The Daily Standard Raleigh, December 25,1869 published an ad announcing a gathering for the seventh anniversary of Emancipation Day on January 1, 1870.
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Black people from North Carolina have always had a tradition of celebrating freedom. Even before Juneteenth, the federally recognized holiday that honors the day when the Union Army arrived in Galveston, Texas, with news of the end of the Civil War and slavery in the United States.
On January 1, 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation provided a pathway to freedom for enslaved African Americans in Union-occupied areas like Beaufort, Elizabeth City, Plymouth, and New Bern.
Emancipation Day celebrations in North Carolina began as early as January 1, 1864.
Black people established this holiday and it was first held in churches in the cities of New Bern and Plymouth to commemorate Lincoln’s signing of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 and the abolition of slavery following the Civil War.
The following year, New Bern's celebration included a parade, speeches, and an oration of the Emancipation Proclamation.
Emancipation Day was held on January 1st and featured celebrations that included a parade and a program. In this program, the Emancipation Proclamation was read along with the Declaration of Independence.
This would be followed by singing, poetry reading, and orations from North Carolina’s Black and White leaders. These leaders, most of whom were men, would speak about the history of slavery, emancipation, politics, and the progression of Black people, encouraging the audience to continue pursuing equality in all things.
Union forces initially helped with Emancipation Day celebrations, but after the Civil War, Black communities took over the commemoration.
Statewide recognition
By 1878, Emancipation Day was recognized statewide in North Carolina. Other towns Black citizens in towns like Salisbury and Lexington also celebrated Emancipation Day on May 20 in the early 1900.
Emancipation Day events were held from the Reconstruction Era until the cementing of Jim Crow laws prevented large gatherings among Black people. The effects of such historical events upon the Black community can readily be seen in the speeches presented by orators at Emancipation Day festivities.
The Hawley Museum is passionately committed to uncovering and sharing the fascinating family stories that have influenced our state's and nation's history. We believe that every family has a unique story to tell, one that adds depth to the rich tapestry of North Carolina and U.S. History.
We encourage you to reflect on your own family narrative—did your ancestors play a pivotal role in these historical events? We invite you to become a part of our family curator team by sharing your family's history, whether it be through photos, videos, articles, or documents.
Let’s work together and weave a more comprehensive narrative that honors the roles families have played in our collective past to inspire future museum visitors.
The Hawley Museum is passionately committed to uncovering and sharing the fascinating family stories that have influenced our state's and nation's history. We believe that every family has a unique story to tell, one that adds depth to the rich tapestry of North Carolina and U.S. History.
We encourage you to reflect on your own family narrative—did your ancestors play a pivotal role in these historical events? We invite you to become a part of our family curator team by sharing your family's history, whether it be through photos, videos, articles, or documents.
Let’s work together and weave a more comprehensive narrative that honors the roles families have played in our collective past to inspire future museum visitors.