In front of us was Abraham Lincoln’s body, carved from stone and he was sitting on his large chair, as the President of the United States of America. Above his statue, engraved in stone were, “IN THIS TEMPLE AS IN THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE FOR WHOM HE SAVED THE UNIOUN THE MEMORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN IS ENSHIRED FOREVER.”

We read this, and saw that it held a lot of meaning and truth, except for the fact that he saved the union. The day before, we received a lecture, from the curator and assistant director of the African American Civil War Museum. He had said to them, “Remember, blacks of African descent freed themselves from slavery and from the Confederacy!”

We were told that Abraham Lincoln created the Emancipation Proclamation to cover up the fact that the Union needed more soldiers, African Americans. Abraham Lincoln told the southern states he would sign the Proclamation if the southern states didn't surrender to the union. Since the Confederates didn't surrender, the Emancipation Proclamation was issued on September 22, 1862 and put into effect on January 1, 1863. That's when Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation and used it against the Confederacy. I wasn’t actually surprised at the purpose of the Emancipation Proclamation, because the government covers up a whole lot of information. I was also amazed that many people actually believed this lie right in front of their faces, and they didn’t even know about it. I wouldn’t have known either, if I had never met with the curator and assistant director of the African American Civil War Museum, Hari Jones.