There has never been a day in Afro-American history to equal January 1, 1863. This was the “day of days” in which the morning sunshine of freedom finally faded the long night of slavery. It is impossible to adequately assess the human effort that went into making this day a reality. All of the slaves' prayers for freedom were finally answered; all of the abolitionists' speeches were finally heeded; and the ceaseless arguments for human freedom published in the Liberator, the Douglass Monthly, and other abolitionist newspapers finally caused President Abraham Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. This day was the culmination of the hope for freedom expressed in the August 1 celebrations and the promise of freedom issued in Lincoln's preliminary proclamation of September 22, 1862. The one-hundred days had passed and, wonder of wonders, Lincoln had not reneged on his promise to set the slaves free! As the Brenham, Texas, barber Rupert Secrett put it: “Abe Lincoln touched the pen and four million slave chains were heard to rattle in the southland.”