[MinorityRepublican]

Not really. It marked the day Texas freed the slaves. It was never recognized as a national holiday until now

I pointed out on another thread that we should celebrate President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation on September 22 (the day he wrote it - it became effective on January 1 but that is New Years Day - a nationalist holiday already)

[Captain Peter Blood]

The Proclamation was just a speech with no legality behind it, political theatre.