Afro Atlantic: Exploring Emancipation

A.A. Lamb's Emancipation Proclamation presents an imaginary scene set against the east façade of the US Capitol in Washington, DC. The goddess of Liberty, driving a chariot, leads Abraham Lincoln and his officers, who are followed by Union army cavalry. The full-bearded, sword-wielding general at the right resembles Ulysses S. Grant. In this scene, people presumed to be newly emancipated, formerly enslaved individuals are relegated to the background, showing gestures of gratitude toward the white figures, who occupy more central positions. This is the only known artwork from Lamb, who is believed by art historians to have been a sign-maker or painter possibly in New York. 

Find related images in the EDSITEment collection Afro Atlantic Art: Enslavements and Emancipations. 

Activity 1. Observation and Discussion

• Why might this painting be titled Emancipation Proclamation? Divide students into groups and ask each group to identify at least three details in the painting that speak to the idea of emancipation. One strategy to support their observation would be to imagine thirds or quadrants for the painting and look at each section for details. As a class, discuss which details each group identified and how those details support the idea of emancipation. 
• How do you imagine different groups might have reacted to this painting in 1864? Assign students a perspective to consider: newly freed individuals, Union supporters, Confederacy supporters, and immigrants to America. Compare each group’s perspective and discuss the differences.  
• Based on the details observed in the painting, who do you imagine Lamb’s intended audience was? Encourage students to refer to the earlier class discussion of details for evidence to support their claims.  

Activity 2. Independent Research

Explore the resources on BlackPast, a project supported by NEH affiliate Humanities Washington. Search for primary sources relating to the Reconstruction era in the period following the completion of this painting (after 1864). Possible sources include: 

• 1866 Mississippi Black Codes 

• 1866 Texas Black Codes 

• 1867 Reconstruction Acts 

• 1867 Thaddeus Stevens’s speech on Reconstruction bill 

As a group discussion or short writing prompt, invite students to consider how the realities of life for newly freed Black communities in the United States unfolded in the late 19th century. Based on their selected primary source(s), how did life compare to the vision presented in Lamb’s painting? What factors (age, geography, education, etc.) might have influenced a formerly enslaved person’s ability to live in freedom?  

As an extension to this exercise, ask students to reflect on any inequities they observe in their own communities today and how long these issues have persisted. 

• Compare Lamb’s painting with John Gast’s 1872 American Progress, an iconic image illustrating a perspective on westward expansion. What similarities and differences can you observe in these two works of art, and what message does each communicate to the viewer? 

• The US Capitol building continues to serve as a site for various groups to gather in support of a cause. What events of the 21st century have prompted groups to gather in Washington, DC, in support of their beliefs? What cause or position was each group aiming to spotlight and advance through their gatherings?  

National Archives: Emancipation Proclamation text 

University of Massachusetts, Amherst: W. E. B. DuBois Papers