Emancipation Proclamation at the Henry Ford Museum Free of Charge

**DetroitTeacher** · June-19-11, 08:23 AM

The museum will be open from Monday, June 20 at 7pm until Wednesday, June 22 at 6am free of charge, around the clock. The original document will be there.

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/28286989/detail.html

**Detroit Stylin** · June-19-11, 08:59 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitTeacher

The museum will be open from Monday, June 20 at 7pm until Wednesday, June 22 at 6am free of charge, around the clock. The original document will be there.

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/28286989/detail.html

Yep....i am sooooooooooooo there...

**Wintersmommy** · June-20-11, 04:04 PM

Taking the child tomorrow evening..anyone been? what are the lines like?

**DetroitTeacher** · June-20-11, 08:21 PM

Haven't been, as of yet. Here is the link to The Henry Ford webpage about it. Gives a great schedule of events around the exhibit.

http://www.thehenryford.org/events/e...clamation.aspx

**English** · June-20-11, 10:11 PM

Was supposed to go today; in the midst of a family emergency. Highly, highly recommended for all who can make the trip.

**msamslex** · June-21-11, 10:23 AM

My child goes to school there. At around 9:30 this morning I was told there was at least a two hour wait and as I left people were coming in at a steady rate.

**DetroitTeacher** · June-21-11, 04:35 PM

Drove by there on my way home from the UPS store. Parking lot was packed and they were using the Ford lot next door. Heard on the radio that there was a 4-5 hour long line. Might be worth waking up at 2 am and going then, when most folks are fast asleep!

**Crystal** · June-21-11, 08:37 PM

My guess is that the wait time will get longer and longer as the night goes on. We viewed the EP this afternoon after a five hour wait.

It was definitely worth the wait to view this important document, especially page five with Abraham Lincoln's signature and the raised seal. Priceless.

**stinkytofu** · June-21-11, 10:23 PM

Line is now closed. Per THF's Facebook, eight hour wait and they have to close the line at this point.

**rb336** · June-22-11, 08:00 AM

I really don't see the appeal. It was essentially a symbolic and economic gesture- it made slavery illegal in states where the US government was no longer the ruling authority, but all it really did was stop US troops from sending back the escapees [[ok, good thing, yes). it was a military strategy. it did not end slavery. Slaves in Maryland and Kentucky were still slaves. Even if it did, it was probably unconstitutional at the time. It took the 13th amendment to do the real work.

**Pam** · June-22-11, 10:14 AM

5-8 hour waits makes me wonder- did they have portapotties set up outside?

**eno** · June-22-11, 11:34 AM

If you were a slave in the Confederacy, the EP may give you confidence that the end of slavery was considered a significant issue, however limited it was worded. When support for the Union side was lagging around this time, as witnessed by the draft riots, it gave moral credence to their cause. We can thank the British threat of recognizing the Confederacy as a sovereign nation and militarily supporting them as one of the main reasons for the EP's creation.

**carlscomputers** · June-22-11, 11:56 AM

Why was it displayed at the Henry Ford & not the Charles Wright?

**Danny** · June-22-11, 12:06 PM

African Americans are FREE INDEED from slavery thanks to that document. A abolishionist construct to make The United States a whole free country.

**socks_mahoney** · June-22-11, 12:21 PM

Went last night with the ladyfriend. 8 hour wait to see the document. We walked around the museum instead. Anyone know if it will still be around *not for free* so one can buy a ticket and keep their sanity trying to see it?

**jackie5275** · June-22-11, 01:41 PM

Went last night, got there around 9 pm, was told a 8-10 hour wait just as we walked in the door, took 20 mins to get to the end of the line, & 7 hours to get through to see it. It was about 5 am today when we walked out. People were still coming to the door seeing the "Line Is Closed" sign, bummed out. I wanted my son to see this piece of history. The folks at the museum said it gets displayed only 36 hours a year due to its fragile condition & that's usually at the National Archives in DC. This was a once in a lifetime chance to see it, & I'm glad we did regardless of how tired I still am.

**jackie5275** · June-22-11, 01:42 PM

Originally Posted by Pam

5-8 hour waits makes me wonder- did they have portapotties set up outside?

Don't be silly. This event was INSIDE the museum.

**Crystal** · June-22-11, 01:50 PM

Portable toilets were not necessary. Staff allowed visitors to exit the line and re-enter. Everyone was very good natured. We took several breaks to buy cookies and water, to use the bathroom, and to use our cell phones where the reception was good.

My family and I hope we will never again need to wait in such a long line [[our feet still hurt today...) but it was a great experience and well worth it.

**DetroitPlanner** · June-22-11, 01:51 PM

Originally Posted by carlscomputers

Why was it displayed at the Henry Ford & not the Charles Wright?

The Henry Ford is currently running a special exhibit on the Civil War. It also has a pemenant exhibit on the Freedoms of Americans and the struggle to get them. This exhibit walks visitors through the quest for freedom from the revolutionary war though the 1960's. An added timeline goes beyond to include things such as the ERA and election of President Obama.

If you have not been to the museum in a while you should really make the time.

**DetroitTeacher** · June-22-11, 02:57 PM

They have a reproduction of the document they will have in place of the original. The original is only allowed out of hiding for 36 hours a year.

Originally Posted by socks_mahoney

Went last night with the ladyfriend. 8 hour wait to see the document. We walked around the museum instead. Anyone know if it will still be around *not for free* so one can buy a ticket and keep their sanity trying to see it?

**carlscomputers** · June-22-11, 03:35 PM

Thanks DetroitPlanner! That makes sense now...

**Ray1936** · June-22-11, 03:50 PM

Originally Posted by rb336

I really don't see the appeal. It was essentially a symbolic and economic gesture- it made slavery illegal in states where the US government was no longer the ruling authority, but all it really did was stop US troops from sending back the escapees [[ok, good thing, yes). it was a military strategy. it did not end slavery. Slaves in Maryland and Kentucky were still slaves. Even if it did, it was probably unconstitutional at the time. It took the 13th amendment to do the real work.

rb, it's the historical factor that makes it so desirable to view. You might as well point to the Lincoln assassination chair that is also at the Henry Ford and just say, "it's just an old, moth-eaten rocker" and yawn.

Any time I'm close enough to touch history I get goose bumps. I'm sorry for you if you don't.

**CLAUDE G** · June-22-11, 04:23 PM

Deffinitly worth seeing, but you won't catch me waiting 7 hours in line.

**English** · June-22-11, 06:04 PM

Originally Posted by Ray1936

Any time I'm close enough to touch history I get goose bumps. I'm sorry for you if you don't.

Amen. I'm very sorry that personal circumstances prevented me from seeing this. It's been on my calendar for months.

**Bagley** · June-22-11, 06:18 PM

Originally Posted by jackie5275

Went last night, got there around 9 pm, was told a 8-10 hour wait just as we walked in the door, took 20 mins to get to the end of the line, & 7 hours to get through to see it. It was about 5 am today when we walked out. People were still coming to the door seeing the "Line Is Closed" sign, bummed out. I wanted my son to see this piece of history. The folks at the museum said it gets displayed only 36 hours a year due to its fragile condition & that's usually at the National Archives in DC. This was a once in a lifetime chance to see it, & I'm glad we did regardless of how tired I still am.

We were there at the same time and the padded 8-hour wait really helped to thin the line down. The first line was about 45 minutes and then the estimate at the beginning of the next line was 5.5 hours which was almost spot on. Honestly, I had a book and occasionally a chair so it really wasn't that tough on me. Good times!