Emancipation Proclamation

With the inauguration of Barack Obama in little more than a month and the Bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth in two months, it's interesting to read Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation--for what it did (and didn't) do. I knew that it only freed the slaves in those states in rebellion against the United States (see link below), but I didn't know how much of Louisiana and Virginia WERE NOT covered by the Proclamation.

http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/featured_documents/emancipation_proclamation/transcript.html

Slaves in the likes of Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey (yes) and others non-rebellious states as well as those excepted areas of Louisiana and Virginia had to await national adoption of the Thirteenth Amendment (December 6, 1865) for their freedom. Although overruled my national ratification, in some states it took awhile for even the SYMBOLIC adoption of the Thirteenth Amendment. In fact, Kentucky only ratified the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution on March 18, 1976 and Mississippi on March 16, 1995!!!

This gives an even greater context to the thought of President Barach H. Obama's presiding over the national celebration of the coming Lincoln Bicentennial.