Quest – Emancipation Proclamation Sculpture in Virginia

Posted on by Prior...

The weekly photo challenge is Quest this week (here) and because this weekend was the opening of the African-American History and Culture (NMAAHC) IN Washington, D.C. (here) (which is the 19th Smithsonian Museum), I wanted to use this down view image of an Odeleye sculpture in Fredericksburg, VA.  It was commissioned for St. George’s Episcopal Church (old blog post of St George cemetery is here) and the bronze sculpture commemorated the 150 year celebration of the Emancipation Proclamation.

…quest for freedom!

 

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Artist: Odeleye Fredericksburg, Virginia Bronze 2013 (My photo has a gritty feel – it was a quick shot and I was actually in a hurry, but each time we visit I try to grab a new photo of this bronze. Anyhow, I chose this image for the gritty feel. To me it conjures up a bit of angst, which reminds me of the wonderful order from our 16th president, Lincoln, with his Emancipation Proclamation and  “that all persons held as slaves” within the rebel states “are, and henceforward shall be free.” The proclamation did not free many slaves right away, but it was the official start of the quest….

 

Here are some other pics 0 in a gallery and then regular:

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I love this photo because of the background. The old bricks have the cracks repaired, which is also study and strong – like the many people, of all races, who fought hard for . The roses add the life giving beauty, the bit of open sky signals the freedom that the sculpture is reaching up and into – and the back houses maybe connect today with this past – may we never forget – and may we continue to move forward with equality and love.
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The crack in the bricks hints at the divide – while freedom is felt in the open sky….

 

 

More info about the Emancipation Proclamation (here)

“On Jan. 1, 1863, U.S. President Abraham Lincolndeclared free all slaves residing in territory in rebellion against the federal government. This Emancipation Proclamation actually freed few people. It did not apply to slaves in border states fighting on the Union side; nor did it affect slaves in southern areas already under Union control. Naturally, the states in rebellion did not act on Lincoln’s order. But the proclamation did show Americans– and the world–that the civil war was now being fought to end slavery.”

By the President of the United States of America:  A PROCLAMATION

Whereas on the 22nd day of September, A.D. 1862, a proclamation was issued by the President of the United States, containing, among other things, the following, to wit:

“That on the 1st day of January, A.D. 1863, all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free; and the executive government of the United States, including the military and naval authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom.

“That the executive will on the 1st day of January aforesaid, by proclamation, designate the States and parts of States, if any, in which the people thereof, respectively, shall then be in rebellion against the United States; and the fact that any State or the people thereof shall on that day be in good faith represented in the Congress of the United States by members chosen thereto at elections wherein a majority of the qualified voters of such States shall have participated shall, in the absence of strong countervailing testimony, be deemed conclusive evidence that such State and the people thereof are not then in rebellion against the United States.”

Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, by virtue of the power in me vested as Commander-In-Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States in time of actual armed rebellion against the authority and government of the United States, and as a fit and necessary war measure for supressing said rebellion, do, on this 1st day of January, A.D. 1863, and in accordance with my purpose so to do, publicly proclaimed for the full period of one hundred days from the first day above mentioned, order and designate as the States and parts of States wherein the people thereof, respectively, are this day in rebellion against the United States the following, to wit:

Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana (except the parishes of St. Bernard, Palquemines, Jefferson, St. John, St. Charles, St. James, Ascension, Assumption, Terrebone, Lafourche, St. Mary, St. Martin, and Orleans, including the city of New Orleans), Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia (except the forty-eight counties designated as West Virginia, and also the counties of Berkeley, Accomac, Morthhampton, Elizabeth City, York, Princess Anne, and Norfolk, including the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth), and which excepted parts are for the present left precisely as if this proclamation were not issued.

And by virtue of the power and for the purpose aforesaid, I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States and parts of States are, and henceforward shall be, free; and that the Executive Government of the United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons.

And I hereby enjoin upon the people so declared to be free to abstain from all violence, unless in necessary self-defence; and I recommend to them that, in all case when allowed, they labor faithfully for reasonable wages.

And I further declare and make known that such persons of suitable condition will be received into the armed service of the United States to garrison forts, positions, stations, and other places, and to man vessels of all sorts in said service.

And upon this act, sincerely believed to be an act of justice, warranted by the Constitution upon military necessity, I invoke the considerate judgment of mankind and the gracious favor of Almighty God.

 

 

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and let’s end with a bit of humor – 🙂

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credit- bytes (the humor here is based on Cee Lo Green’s “Forget You” song).

40 thoughts on “Quest – Emancipation Proclamation Sculpture in Virginia”

  4. Great post.. I am not what in the artist mind when he crated the sculpture but a person appears to emerge from the ground held a pigeon (?) in his stretching out hands are such a perfect symbol for “Emancipation”!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Hi YC – I enjoyed your comment – and I guess it is a dove being released – here is what I found at the artist’s blog:

      “The 4-foot high sculpture has been dubbed “Jubilation” by its creator. The figure personifies freedom, with a prominent set of bronze arms preparing to release a dove into the sky.

      “It reflects joy and celebration,” said Odeleye. “It’s the celebration of one knowing one is completely free as a person.”

      Anyhow – it is a bit odd (to me) – but has a wonderful charm sitting in the rose garden like that.

      Like

  7. Pingback: Quest: Autumn | What's (in) the picture?

  11. I really do love the sculptures. I can almost feel the relief of the release from the confines and boundaries. So happy to be able to find you again easily Y. Technical issues can be a test of endurance and patience. Glad we both have a healthy does of each.

    Liked by 1 person

  13. Jesus, Yvette…with all the stuff I got going in life I can barely read all the history, wich I love history I should add. But will you trust me if I would tell you that tomorrow is a life changing moment and that tomorrow I will send you back and give you the other email adress wich I only give to people that I trust, or not even that I just give it to you since you are the person who took the time and interest to tell me what I should do with my writing. I´m just going slowly, too slowy I should say with this writing thing, I got to put more work on it. But tomorrow after I get to the judge at 9: 30 am wich I have to wake up here at 7 a.m and I can´t sleep, thank God, and HE is the one that I think pushes me, after the court date I´m done with more court dates so I can write in peace and not worry about crazy things. So bringing up around, hope you get my email wich is not charlypriest, and hope at least for me I take this thing more seriously instead of half ass as I´m doing now, so hope to talk to you soon, you probably do not realize it but you have been a great support, sounds strange I know, but for me it was and is (hopefully).
    I promise I won´t let your time go to waste as I have done by actually not doing anything of the writing. So help my God I promise you that, and that is not Bull…So tomorrow after that damn court thing I´ll email you and you are the “woman” or super woman, that would take the time to read and all that, not going to repeat myself, you know.
    Hope you are o.k and your familly too. All the best for you all guys.

    Stay Frosty gentess.

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    1. Hi CP1, um, brother from another mother, and I did “get” that there was a court date tomorrow from your recent post and I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers – and thanks very much for the update. It will happen in the right time and I know we all have different seasons and different life phases -and not matter what happens my time was not wasted – no way – outcomes are measured in different ways and so let us keep that in mind.
      I will look for the email and thanks for checking in Sir Spaniard. ❤

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      1. How in the world do you know I have to go to court tomorrow?…women….
        I probably told you that and I don´t remember wich happens,
        but not more, getting clean and no more court things, getting my act together and you are a help, and i don´t even know you but i do know you do have a good heart.
        Stay Frosty wooooomen!

        Liked by 1 person

        1. Well I think your post hinted at it – but you are right – sometimes a woman’s discernment is spot on!
          Be encouraged and keep us posted – and love ya amigo

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        5. Jesús, I just re read my comment, so I did say it, and I am not high by the way…….he hay! 😉 Love ya tomorrow is tommorrow, you are not goint to believe or recognize when I´m sober, I´ll probably write better that is for sure

          Liked by 1 person

  16. Am still trying to wrap my mind around how Christians at that time could have slaves. It seems when Lincoln ordered freedom of slavery it was a paradigm shift to a completely different way of thinking for a number of people.
    Like the angle of the sculpture, which gives the idea of rising from the ground.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks jesh – the sculpture is so cool – and you are right about the shift and stubbornness that was so money and business related – and completely wrong bigot thinking –

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  17. The Machiavellian and amoral nature of Lincoln shows in that proclamation limited to 11 states in rebellion.did not apply to Missouri, Maryland, Kentucky, and Delaware. They were slave states but he did not want them to join the South so they kept slavery. In addition when the noble Gen. John C Fremont declared the slaves free in Missouri after ending South’s resistance there, Lincoln canned him and rescinded the freedom order.

    Liked by 1 person

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