Historical Letter: Letter from Annie Davis to Abraham Lincoln [13th Amendment]

Historical Letter: Letter from Annie Davis to Abraham Lincoln [13th Amendment]

08/25/1864

Historical Letter

DocsTeach features an 1864 historical letter, written by Annie Davis--an enslaved woman in Belair, Maryland--to President Abraham Lincoln, in which Davis is inquiring about her freedom after Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation--which freed all individuals enslaved in the Union but not in the states still under Confederate control. It would not be until the ratification of the 13th Amendment--which abolished slavery and involuntary servitude except in cases where it is used as punishment for a crime--that individuals such as Davis would be free.

View Source Here. 

DocsTeach (National Archives)

Rights Statement: Project Reconstruction curates links to primary and secondary sources from a wide variety of digital newspapers, museums, libraries, universities, historical societies and other governmental and nongovernmental websites. Use of said content is solely at your own risk. Consult each source’s original publisher for all rights and terms of use associated with their content.

Insensitive Language/Images: Some sources may include insensitive language or images that were created just before, during or after the Reconstruction Era. We try our best to include advisory “notes” in the description section of each source to inform site visitors about potentially insensitive material.

Fairness & Accuracy Statement: We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that seems inaccurate or doesn't look right, please contact us.