Commemorating Juneteenth

“On this day 150 years ago, more than two years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, the slaves of Galveston, Texas, finally received word that the Civil War was over. They were free. A century and a half later, Americans still recognize this occasion, Juneteenth, as a symbolic milestone on our journey toward a more perfect union.” - President Obama, June 19, 2015

During their eight years in the White House, President and Mrs. Obama showcased art that depicted important chapters in the American story. These works reminded visitors and staffers of how far we’ve come as a nation and how far we still have to go to create a fair and just society.

“Watch Meeting–Dec. 31st 1862–Waiting for the Hour” is a perfect example of this. William Tolman Carlton’s painting depicts the immediate aftermath of President Lincoln signing the Emancipation Proclamation, but Juneteenth is a reminder that there was more work to be done before enslaved African Americans across the country were truly free.

American painter William Tolman Carlton’s Watch Meeting—Dec. 31st 1862—Waiting for the Hour depicts a group of enslaved men, women, and children waiting for President Abraham Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation the following day. Originally placed in the Lincoln Bedroom at the White House, President Obama had it moved to the exterior of the Oval Office in 2013.

In recognition of the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, White House curator Bill Allman explained the painting and shared why President Obama selected it to hang near the Oval Office: