When Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation did slavery end that moment, or did it take months after that before all slaves where actually free?

by mad5555

I would assume it took at least a few weeks before all the people on the plantations in the "deep south" were notified that there was no longer slavery. Does anyone know the time line between the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation and everyone being free?

Gama_Rex

It took upwards of two years in many cases because when Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 outside of a few Union-occupied areas the South was totally under the control of the CSA and had little interest in following Lincoln's orders.