It was a good start to the year in 1863. In honor of the 147th anniversary of the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, I would direct you to two HP posts on the topic:
Truth v. Myth: The Emancipation Proclamation was not useless!
and
The Victory of the Emancipation Proclamation
Just so we can all start the new decade on a myth-free and positive note. Happy New Year!
The Historic Present 