HARRISBURG – A bill is being drafted that would establish the first Monday of February as Emancipation Day in PA. Philadelphia Rep. Chris Rabb said his legislation would acknowledge the ongoing struggle for black liberation in a society that still poses threats and allows barriers to persist against the advancement of black people. On Feb. 3, 1865, PA became the sixth state to ratify the Thirteenth Amendment, thus ensuring the abolition of slavery throughout the United States. The Democrat added that signing this piece of legislation into law and recognizing Emancipation Day would further show the Commonwealth’s commitment to racial justice.

REP. CHRIS RABB