November Celebrates Emancipation of the Enslaved in Montgomery County

Maryland honors Emancipation Day on November 1, remembering when the enslaved were emancipated in the state in 1864, almost two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was read by Lincoln on January 1, 1863, and six months before the end of the Civil War.

The state constitution was changed to outlaw slavery and involuntary servitude -- except as punishment for a crime -- only when the votes of Union soldiers remaining in the state were counted. The vote passed by a margin of 375 votes -- 30,174 to 27,799.

Join us at some of the many events in Montgomery County celebrating Emancipation, and learning more about Black history in the county. Learn more in our newsletter.