February 1st is National Freedom Day in the United States. It celebrates the signing of the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution by President Abraham Lincoln in 1865, which outlawed slavery in America.
Major Richard Wright Sr., a former slave, led the movement to recognize the day Lincoln signed the Amendment. In 1942, the first unofficial National Freedom Day ceremony was held with a laying of a wreath on the Liberty Bell at Independence Hall in Philadelphia. In 1948, President Harry Truman signed a bill making it an official federal observance.
It is an official federal observance, but not a public holiday. Libraries, cities, and government institutions often hold celebrations or ceremonies to mark the day. Many schools mark the day by reading the 13th Amendment or studying its history.
The 13th Amendment was officially ratified when the state of Georgia adopted it on December 6, 1865.
Here’s an informational video on National Freedom Day:
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