Emancipation Proclamation

Citizens of all ages gathered at the Knott House Museum to commemorate May 20, 1865, when the Emancipation Proclamation was first read in Florida and all enslaved people in the state gained their freedom.

The event included a re-enactment of the first public reading of Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation on the very spot it took place 158 years ago.

May 20, 1865 is the day Emancipation is remembered in Florida — although it was two years after Lincoln proclaimed an end to slavery

The festivities included lots of speeches, music, and the ritual reading of the Emancipation Proclamation in its entirety.

Local governments recognize May 20 as Emancipation Day. That’s the date in 1865 - eleven days after the end of the American Civil War - that the Emancipation Proclamation was read on the steps of the Knott House. It came two years after the document was issued by President Abraham Lincoln.

Historians have documented the presence of many enslaved persons on the premises between 1832 and the end of the Civil War

Historical reenactors gave visitors a glimpse of life in the time leading up to the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation in Tallahassee on May 20, 1865.

June 19 could be a state-recognized holiday under a senate bill moving through the legislature. The date, also known as Juneteenth, is seen nationally as a day to celebrate the freeing of slaves. But in Florida, many people recognize May 20 instead. That's the day in 1865 when union soldiers read the Emancipation Proclamation for the first time in Tallahassee.

The Tallahassee City Commission is recognizing May 20 as Emancipation Day in Florida.

The Tallahassee City Commission is recognizing May 20 as Emancipation Day in Florida.