[Pelham]

2) Regardless of the actual motives behind it —economic or otherwise: the Emancipation Proclamation signed by Lincoln was the first major step setting African-Americans on the path towards freedom..

Except for the two previous emancipation proclamations.

One of these inspired the rebel Governor of Virginia to complain that the Union forces were setting his own slaves free. And he wanted the Virginia general leading the rebel army to do something about it.

The rebel governor was Thomas Jefferson, the general was Washington, the Union forces were those of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, which included the British North American colonies in open rebellion.

The two emancipation proclamations were the Dunmore's and the Philipsburg proclamations. If London had defeated the "traitors" then slavery in north America could have ended 90 years earlier.

[BroJoeK]

Pelham: "The two emancipation proclamations were the Dunmore's and the Philipsburg proclamations.
If London had defeated the 'traitors' then slavery in north America could have ended 90 years earlier."

Nonsense, those British proclamations only offered freedom in exchange for army service, not general freedom for all African slaves.
And you well know why Lord Dunmore's tactic didn't work against George Washington -- because Washington out African-Americaned the Brits!
Washington did what Jefferson Davis & Co. never could: promised thousands freedom in exchange for service in the Continental Army, in integrated units!
And so many took Washington's offer that one British officer at Yorktown observed one in four of Washington's troops was black.