Register

The History of Emancipation and Juneteenth on Zoom

Hear from historian Christopher Daley about the history of emancipation and Juneteenth in this Zoom webinar.

We will begin with a short history of the Abolitionist movement from the 1830s through the Civil War. Then the discussion will turn to all the slavery connected causes of the Civil War and the growing hue and cry for the end of slavery. Additionally, the election of Abraham Lincoln will be examined spotlighting his views on slavery and African Americans.

The second part of the presentation will look at some of the events that led up to the Emancipation Proclamation such as Freemont’s Emancipation, Hunter’s Emancipation, and the General Benjamin Butler’s orders on “Contraband of War.” Then, it will turn to the Emancipation Proclamation itself; the timing of it, the politics of it and who was actually freed by it.

The third part of the presentation will focus on the gradual emancipation of slaves by federal troops as they conquered the different confederate states, the end of the war and the movement of troops into Texas and the famous issuing of General Order No. 3 on June 19th, 1865 at Galveston, Texas and how the news spread through Texas and the reaction of the slaves to tidings of freedom.

The final part of the talk will showcase how Juneteenth went from a local Galveston celebration to a national holiday.

Christopher Daley holds both a B.A. and an M.A. in Political Science and History from Bridgewater State University. He has held several notable positions in the field of history, including serving as President of the Pembroke Historical Society and Chairman of the Pembroke Historical Commission. Additionally, he worked as a docent and Coordinator of Educational Outreach at the John Alden House Historic Site. After a 25-year career teaching history at the Silver Lake Regional School System in Kingston, MA, Chris recently retired to focus on his historical endeavors.

As a writer, Chris has contributed numerous articles on diverse historical topics to local publications and authored the book Murder and Mayhem in Boston: Historic Crimes in the Hub. His expertise has also been sought for television, including serving as a historical consultant on the Sacco-Vanzetti case for the Travel Channel's Time Traveling with Brian Unger and appearing as a historian in two episodes of Kindred Spirits focusing on the Lizzie Borden case.

Please note: this program will not be recorded

Upcoming events