GPO Opens 150th Anniversary History Exhibit

The U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) opens an exhibit of the agency’s 150-year history on June 15 at 1 p.m. As part of the exhibit, GPO is displaying an original printed copy of the preliminary version of the Emancipation Proclamation.

In 1862, GPO printed the preliminary version of the Emancipation Proclamation in general orders format issued as an order from President Lincoln in his role as commander-in-chief of the armed forces. GPO printed 15,000 copies for the War Department, which were distributed to military commanders and their troops and diplomats in foreign countries. The displayed copy at GPO, on loan from the Library of Congress, contains a printer’s proofing marks; those corrections were made in the final version of the Emancipation Proclamation issued in 1863.

(Note: Flash photography is not permitted in the exhibit.)