Vicksburg National Military Park Observes 150th Anniversary of Emancipation Proclamation

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News Release Date: September 19, 2012
Contact: David Slay, 601-636-0583

On Saturday, September 22, 2012, Vicksburg National Military Park will commemorate the 150th anniversary of the preliminary announcement of the Emancipation Proclamation with a program entitled, "Contested Freedom: Emancipation, Reconstruction, and the Vicksburg Riots of 1874."

At 10:00 a.m., park ranger Dr. David Slay will conduct a one-hour program on the front lawn of the Shirley House located at Tour Stop #2 along the park tour road. Beginning with a public reading of the Emancipation Proclamation and brief talk on Reconstruction, the program will focus on the 1874 Vicksburg Riots and sites within the park related to the terrible series of events which took place in early December 1874. These events would signal the end of Reconstruction and set the tone for racial violence for the next 100 years in this region.

Park admission is $8.00 per vehicle, and limited parking is available along the tour road between the Shirley House and Illinois Monument.

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