"As we waited for all of America to repent-to repudiate slavery-we wept, we raged, we prayed. Over beatings and brandings and bullwhippings. Over the rapes. Over families fractured on auction blocks. And then there was all that stolen labor." In a narrative that demands readers connect the politics of the time to the human costs of slavery, Tonya Bolden explores the rocky path Abraham Lincoln walked on the way to issuing the Emancipation Proclamation. Looking at the Constitution's tenets on slavery (although, she notes, the document never uses the word "slave"), at Supreme Court decisions, and at the messy politics surrounding the Civil War, she documents Lincoln's statements and thinking, which changed over time. Bolden reveals he was a man who, when first elected, indicated he had no intent to oppose the 13th Amendment as originally proposed-it would have banned Congress from ever abolishing slavery in states where it already existed. His moral compass shifted with time, but he was always too radical for the pro-slavery states, far too hesitant and lacking in conviction for abolitionists. He was a proponent of freed Blacks emigrating to other countries-an idea that didn't gain much traction. Ultimately, he was a man who, regardless of personal belief, was burdened by trying to keep the nation whole. This arresting, important read is appended by a timeline, glossary, and extensive notes and source documentation. (Age 13 and older)

Published on the anniversary of when President Abraham Lincoln’s order went into effect, this book offers readers a unique look at the events that led to the Emancipation Proclamation. Filled with little-known facts and fascinating details, it includes excerpts from historical sources, archival images, and new research that debunks myths about the Emancipation Proclamation and its causes. Complete with a timeline, glossary, and bibliography, Emancipation Proclamation is an engrossing new historical resource from award-winning children’s book author Tonya Bolden.

Praise for Emancipation Proclamation:
FOUR STARRED REVIEWS
"A convincing, handsomely produced argument..."
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Bolden makes excellent use of primary sources; the pages are filled with archival photos, engravings, letters, posters, maps, newspaper articles, and other period documents. Detailed captions and a glossary interpret them for today’s readers."
—School Library Journal, starred review

"The language soars, powerfully communicating not just the facts about the Emancipation Proclamation but its meaning for those who cared most passionately."
—Booklist, starred review

"Bolden tackles these questions in a richly illustrated overview of the lead-up to the Proclamation, organizing and reiterating information already familiar to many middle-schoolers, while introducing material that will probably be eye-opening to students who have taken their textbook’s version of history at face value."
—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, starred review

Award
School Library Journal Best Book of 2013
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books Blue Ribbons List 2013
Notable Children's Books from ALSC 2014
2014 Carter G.Woodson Middle Level Book Award