How would the emanipation proclamation have changed the life of an enslaved African American in Maryland?

The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, declared that all enslaved people in Confederate-held territories were to be freed. For an enslaved African American in Maryland, which was a border state, the immediate impact was limited, as it was not a Confederate state. However, it provided hope and a legal framework for freedom, encouraging enslaved individuals to escape or seek refuge with Union forces. Additionally, it marked a significant shift in the Civil War's purpose, making the fight against slavery a central goal of the Union, which ultimately contributed to the eventual abolition of slavery in border states as well.