“Waiting for the Hour.” Carte-de-visite of an emancipation watch night meeting on Dec. 31, 1863, where African American men, women and children gathered around a man with a watch, waiting for the ...
Watch Night services are a New Year's Eve tradition in many Black churches. The tradition began on December 31, 1862, as people awaited the Emancipation Proclamation to take effect. Services often ...