Springfield, IL  (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – A document that marked a turning point in the Civil War will soon be on display at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. The Emancipation Proclamation, signed by Abraham Lincoln in 1862, shifted the war’s focus from just preserving the Union to also abolishing slavery.

The document will be available for viewing in honor of two holidays dedicated to freedom, Juneteenth and Independence Day. The Emancipation Proclamation provided that enslaved people in the states that were engaged in rebellion against the Union would be free. Viewing will be available at the ALPLM library building on Saturday June 15 and on weekdays from June 17 through July 3.

The ALPLM will also host two special discussions about Juneteenth and civil liberties, introduce a new theatrical presentation, and offer free admission to the museum on the Juneteenth holiday on June 19th.

The theatrical event, “The Nature of Freedom: A Literary Commemoration of Juneteenth,” features the words of some of America’s greatest activists for freedom and equality, from Harriet Tubman to Martin Luther King Jr. to Maya Angelou. The 35-minute piece, directed by the ALPLM’s Reggie Guyton, is a readers theater presentation. That means actors will not use costumes, dramatic staging or special lighting and instead will depend on their voices and the power of the script to engage the audience.

“The Nature of Freedom” will be presented three times: at 11 a.m. on June 15 and 19 and at 6:30 p.m. on June 19. The evening performance will be accompanied by a presentation of “Small Beginnings,” a short play about Robert Smalls and his daring plan to rescue family and friends from slavery during the Civil War. For details, visit https://presidentlincoln.illinois.gov/events.