Emancipation Oak

Have you heard of the Emancipation Oak? Over 200 years old and an impressive 98 feet in diameter, this giant hardwood once sheltered slaves who gathered under its branches for lessons and later provided cover for the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation. 

Prior to the Civil War, classes for blacks were held under the live oak. Informal at first, the education program grew with the help of the American Missionary Association and eventually became the Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute. Today, we know the institution as Hampton University, an important Historically Black University inVirginia.

When Abraham Lincoln announced the emancipation of blacks in 1863, the community gathered under the giant oak's canopy to hear the reading of the proclamation. That's where the mighty oak got its name, "Emancipation Oak."

This month, when we celebrate Black History, maybe you'll get a chance to travel to Hampton, Virginia and admire this southern live oak and consider its role in history. 

photo credit: Casey's Trees 

https://caseytrees.org/2020/04/celebrating-the-emancipation-oak-this-emancipation-day/