The District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act, signed by Abraham Lincoln on April 16, 1862, freed all the slaves in Washington DC, and offered compensation to the slave owners. What were the motivations for the April 16, 1866 celebration of the four year old District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act, and how did this event evolve over time into the currently remembered legal holiday?

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Loretta Carter-Hanes

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Movement to reinvigorate enthusiasm for remembering and honoring this Act reemerged in 1991 thanks in part to efforts of Loretta Carter Haynes.…

Current Emancipation Day Celebrations

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These photos represent a small snap shot of the multitude of various events and activities that occur each ear in the District of Columbia to…

Senator Blanche K. Bruce 1841-1898

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Senator Blanche K. Bruce was a former Virginian slave, who through ambition and drive advanced to become the first African American to preside of the…