160 years ago today - Jun 19, 1862

The U.S. Congress passes "An Act to secure Freedom to all Persons within the Territories of the United States" which emancipates all slaves held in the U.S. Territories. This ends slavery in Utah Territory where it was legalized ten years earlier by the Utah Territorial Legislature. Years later two former Utah slaves recall, -the joyful expressions which were upon the faces of all the slaves, when they ascertained that they had acquired their freedom through the fortunes of war.-