What does it mean to 'emancipate" someone

Emancipate basically means to, like, live under no one's influence. Or, as a child, be "legally an adult" so they would no longer require parental supervision, even if they had not yet reached the age of majority(usually 18)

the emancipation proclamation was the aim of the war change to include the freeing of slaves in addition to preserving the union. the 13th amendment, which abolished slavery in the u.s. was passed on december 6th 1865.

as promised, lincoln waited to unveil the proclamation until he could do so with success from the union military advance. on september 22nd 1862, after a victory at antietam, he publicly announced a preliminary emancipation proclamation, declaring all slaves free in the rebellious states as of january 1st 1863.