What does Watch Night mean for Black Americans today? It dates back to the Emancipation Proclamation
Written by Black Hot Fire Network on December 30, 2023
FILE - The original Emancipation Proclamation is shown on display in the Rotunda of the National Archives in Washington, Feb. 18, 2005. The tradition of Watch Night services in the United States dates back to Dec. 31, 1862, when many Black Americans gathered in churches and other venues, waiting for President Abraham Lincoln to sign the Emancipation Proclamation into law. It's still being observed each New Year's Eve, at many multiracial and predominantly Black churches across the country. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
The tradition of Watch Night services in the United . . .
