The landmark event in 1863 that led to the liberation of enslaved African Americans in the United States was the Emancipation Proclamation. Issued by President Abraham Lincoln, this executive order declared that all enslaved people in Confederate-held territory were to be freed. While it did not immediately end slavery nationwide, it altered the Civil War's purpose, framing it as a fight for freedom. The Proclamation also allowed for the recruitment of African American soldiers into the Union Army, marking a significant step toward achieving civil rights and equality.