On New Year's Eve, when most of us will be out celebrating the end of 2024 and the beginning of 2025 with parties, champagne and the ball drop, the night will also be significant to another historical reason.
New Year's Eve is also celebrated amongst multiracial and Black churches as Watch Night, a holiday that dates back to the Civil War.
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What is Watch Night?
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Watch Night is a holiday commemorating the enactment of the Emancipation Proclamation, which took effect at the ring of the new year in 1863.
What is the Emancipation Proclamation?
The Emancipation Proclamation is an executive order signed by President Abraham Lincoln on Sept. 22, 1862 that said enslaved people in the rebellious Confederate states were legally free.
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Slaves were not fully free in the entire United States until the passage of the 13th Amendment in 1865.
How is Watch Night celebrated?
Those gathering on the first Watch Night included many African Americans who were still legally enslaved as they assembled, sometimes in secrecy.
On the first Watch Night, Frederick Douglas said of the holiday, "It is a day for poetry and song, a new song. These cloudless skies, this balmy air, this brilliant sunshine . . . are in harmony with the glorious morning of liberty about to dawn up on us."
Since then, the night has evolved into a New Year's Eve tradition that includes prayer, songs and a meal.
“Many congregants across the nation bow in prayer minutes before the midnight hour as they sing out 'Watchman, watchman, please tell me the hour of the night," according to the National Museum of African American History and Culture. "In return the minister replies, 'It is three minutes to midnight'; ‘it is one minute before the new year'; and 'it is now midnight, freedom has come.’”
The museum also notes that the Watch Night worship services are traditionally followed by a “fortuitous meal” on New Year’s Day, often featuring a dish called Hoppin' John.
“Traditionally, Hoppin’ John consists of black-eyed peas, rice, red peppers, and salt pork, and it is believed to bring good fortune to those who eat it. Some other common dishes include: candied yams, cornbread, potato salad, and macaroni and cheese.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
