TOWSON, Md. — November 1 is Emancipation Day in Maryland.
On this day 160 years ago, enslaved people living in the state of Maryland found out they were free.
Maryland's Emancipation Day comes one year after the Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves in the South.
Maryland was one of the border states, so it still had slavery.
In April of 1864, state leaders held a constitutional convention where they discussed the possibility of ending slavery.
It ultimately went before a vote.
People in Maryland initially voted no to ending slavery.
However, after the soldier's vote was included, it ended slavery.
By a margin of 375 votes, slavery was abolished in Maryland.
WMAR-2 News spoke to Marlena Jareaux, a Howard County historian.
She says it's important for people to remember the day.
"It was those men that joined together and said, what are some of the issues we want to possibly look to enshrine in a state constitution, and that's what was leading up to it," said Jareaux.
Jareaux wants people to learn more about their state's history.
