RFK-owned Emancipation Proclamation

[John Dolva]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101006/ap_en_ot/us_rfk_emancipation_proclamation;_ylt=AoqHcXj5c.HFEkFg5gR8aM2GWo14;_ylu=X3oDMTQwY3V0MzVzBGFzc2V0Ay9zL2FwLzIwMTAxMDA2L2FwX2VuX290L3VzX3Jma19lbWFuY2lwYXRpb25fcHJvY2xhbWF0aW9uBGNjb2RlA21wX2VjXzhfMTAEY3BvcwM5BHBvcwM5BHNlYwN5bl90b3Bfc3RvcmllcwRzbGsDcmZrLW93bmVkZW1h

''NEW YORK – A copy of the Emancipation Proclamation signed by Lincoln and bought by Robert F. Kennedy, who drew inspiration from the document as he enforced civil rights legislation in the 1960s, is going up for auction and could fetch as much as $1.5 million.

Kennedy bought the printed copy of the 1863 document declaring all slaves "forever free" shortly after its centennial celebration at the White House. His widow, Ethel, is offering it for sale Dec. 10 at Sotheby's, the auction house told The Associated Press.

It's one of 48 printed copies signed by President Abraham Lincoln. About half are known to survive; 14 are in public institutions and another eight to 10 are privately owned, said Selby Kiffer, Sotheby's senior specialist for historic American manuscripts.

The original, handwritten Emancipation Proclamation is in the National Archives.

Kennedy was attorney general to John F. Kennedy and served as his brother's closest adviser. He was elected in 1964 to represent New York in the Senate and was assassinated in California on June 6, 1968, while campaigning for president.

The fact that the Kennedy White House celebrated the document when RFK was in charge of civil rights enforcement "really brings this to life," Kiffer said.

...''