Why do you think the Emancipation Proclamation and the General Order 143 are important today?

The Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863 that abolished slavery in all states including those in the Confederacy. It is still an important document today because it finally removed the practice of slavery in America. Never again would people be bought or sold like property and it also defined that all people were equal and that no one had the right to enslave another. General Order 143 that enabled slaves and free blacks to enlist in the Union Army during the Civil War. The color regiments performed well and President praised these men for their sacrifice in winning the war. It is still relevant today, we judge not by their color but how well they perform and how committed they are to the cause at hand.