January 6, 2026 – A copy of the Emancipation Proclamation signed by Abraham Lincoln is now on display at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum as part of a special exhibit, giving the public a rare chance to see the historic document.
Lincoln’s proclamation ordered an end to slavery in Southern states that took up arms against the United States during the Civil War, which included more than three-fourths of the nation’s enslaved African Americans. U.S. soldiers carried palm-sized copies of the Emancipation Proclamation on their march across the South to help spread the word of freedom.
The ALPLM copy of the proclamation is being displayed as part of the exhibit “Lincoln: A Life and Legacy that Defined a Nation.” This special exhibit explores Lincoln’s impact on the nation and on individuals by spotlighting rare artifacts and documents in the presidential library’s collection, from the desk where he wrote his First Inaugural Address to Mary Lincoln’s wedding skirt to a poster recruiting Black men to serve in the Army after emancipation.
The exhibit runs through April 26. The Emancipation Proclamation will be included through Feb. 3, when it will be replaced by the only photo of Lincoln lying in state after his assassination.
“This document and Lincoln’s signature provide a concrete connection to an incredible moment – the beginning of the end of slavery in America,” said Christina Shutt, executive director of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. “We are proud to give our visitors an additional chance to see it for themselves and to reflect on what it took to free four million Americans from enslavement.”
History fans can vote on where the Emancipation Proclamation ranks among America’s most important document, thanks to an initiative by the National Archives Foundation and More Perfect, in partnership with presidential libraries like the ALPLM. For America’s 250th birthday, the organizations have identified 100 highly significant original records from the National Archives’ holdings that that have shaped the nation’s history. The list features several Lincoln-related documents, including another that can be found at the ALPLM – the 13thAmendment.
Visit 100Docs.vote to weigh in on which ones have made the biggest impact on America.
Typically, the ALPLM displays the proclamation during a brief window around Juneteenth, the holiday celebrating the end of slavery in America. But a new display case using cutting-edge technology now allows the ALPLM to display rare documents much longer while still minimizing the amount of harmful light they receive.
The ALPLM’s copy of the proclamation is one of about two dozen remaining. It is signed by both Lincoln and Secretary of State William Seward. These copies were made and then signed by Lincoln so they could be sold to raise money for the care of sick and wounded soldiers.
