It frees black slaves in the South. "All persons held as slaves within the rebrllious states are and hencefowars shall be free." It dosent however free existing slaves in the north, that happens 2 years later. In December 1865 the thirteenth amendment was ratified finally ending slavery in the United States.
The Emancipation Proclamation did not free all slaves in the United States. Rather, it declared free only those slaves living in states not under Union control. ... The proclamation allowed black soldiers to fight for the Union -- soldiers that were desperately needed. It also tied the issue of slavery directly to the war.
