Abraham Lincoln is the president known for the Emancipation Proclamation. Issued on January 1, 1863, during the American Civil War, the proclamation declared the freedom of all enslaved people in Confederate-held territory. This pivotal document marked a significant turning point in the war, shifting the focus from preserving the Union to addressing the moral issue of slavery. While it did not immediately free all enslaved individuals, it symbolized a commitment to ending the institution of slavery and encouraged the recruitment of African American soldiers into the Union Army. Lincoln's action is widely regarded as a crucial step toward racial equality.