The Civil War was not going well for the Union in 1862. A victory at Shiloh in April was followed by defeat in the Seven Days Battles, an inconclusive result at Antietam, and a disastrous loss at Fredericksburg. President Lincoln searched for a general who could match Robert E. Lee’s skill while keeping an eye on the nation’s future. In May, he signed the Homestead Act, allowing all Americans, regardless of race or gender, to claim land in the trans-Mississippi West and build homes. But Lincoln wasn’t done.
On this date in 1862, Lincoln finalized the Emancipation Proclamation and circulated it to his Cabinet for review. The proclamation took a bold step toward fulfilling Thomas Jefferson’s words that “all men are created equal.” While it did not free all slaves, it declared that “all persons held as slaves” in rebellious states “are and henceforward shall be free.”
Lincoln’s action transformed the war’s purpose, from simply preserving the Union to ending slavery and breaking the bonds of the past. The conflict became a war for freedom. The Emancipation Proclamation was not perfect: it applied only to states in rebellion and depended on Union military success but it marked a historic step forward.
Freed African Americans who migrated to Dakota Territory helped lay a foundation for future generations. The Homestead Act offered the chance to claim land on the Great Plains, while territorial law prohibited kidnapping and outlawed slavery as a criminal act.
New arrivals faced discrimination in education, business, and politics, but they persevered. The Freedmen’s Bureau provided critical support, assisting with homestead claims and establishing schools. It also helped create churches, fraternal organizations, and mutual aid societies, supporting the development of strong communities.
The determination and perseverance of newly freed African Americans contributed to the demographic and economic diversity of what would become North Dakota.
Dakota Datebook by Dr. Carole Butcher
Sources:
- National Archives. “Emancipation Proclamation.” https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/emancipation-proclamationAccessed 11/23/2025.
- Black Wall Street. “Slavery in North Dakota.” https://blackwallstreet.org/blk.resources.dir/cuv.northdakota.htmlAccessed 11/23/2025.
