Abraham Lincoln statue unveiled outside African American Civil War Museum

President Abraham Lincoln signed the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation 162 years ago this week. To celebrate, dozens of people gathered for the unveiling of a new presidential statue outside the African American Civil War Museum in D.C.

Much like that precursor to freedom for all Black Americans, the unveiling is just a preview for more things to come at the museum.

“It’s very important for us to reaffirm these notions of freedom and union, which is what this monument talks about,” said Frank Smith, executive director of the African American Civil War Museum, at Tuesday’s public unveiling.

The statue’s unveiling, on the anniversary of the signing of the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, is an important step for the museum. But another one is just around the corner, when the mus