The District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act 1862
Title
The District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act 1862
Description
This collection contains items concerning the District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act 1862, including a translation of the Act, Lincoln' letter to Congress that accompanied the Act after he signed it, video and visual information about the petitions for compensation, and population information before and after emancipation. These items help to share the technical information of the Act, and to highlight how it affected those freed and their slave owners.
Collection Items
Abraham Lincoln to Congress, Wednesday, April 16, 1862
President Lincoln's letter to Congress informing them that he singed the District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act.
Click here to view this document
Vice-President Henry Wilson
This is a photograph of former Vice-President and Senator Henry Wilson. He introduced bills that freed slaves in the District of Columbia, permitted African Americans to join the Union army, and provided equal pay to black and white soldiers.
President Abraham Lincoln
An image of our 16th president who not only liberated the slaves in Dc, but throughout the nation.
Video - The Compensated Emancipation Act Petitions
This is a short video created by the National Archives which provides information about the what we have been able to learn about the enslaved persons in Washington, DC.
Click here for VIDEO.
Camp Barker, DC 1862
Newly freed slaves from the south who sought refuge in Washington, DC
Slaves from Southern states came to Washington, DC to seek refuge from their southern slave holders. These persons were awaiting a visit from Abraham Lincoln at Camp Barker, located a mile north of of the White House in 1862.
Click here to view image…
The District of Columbia Emancipation Act
April 16, 1862
This is the original Act and translation, which abolished slavery in the District of Columbia drafted by Senator Henry Wilson and signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln. This item gives you a visual of the bill and a complete translation of the…
District of Columbia - 19th Century African American Population
The information shows the fast paced changes in the African American population in the District of Columbia. Reflects the total population numbers, but also indicates the number that were enslaved versus those whom were freed.
District of Columbia Population Percentages
1800-1990
This is a chart created to show that despite allegations of the city being being overrun by the newly freed African Americans in the 1860s, the city actually just grew in general. It was not until after the 1960 that the African American population…
Petition of Mildred E. Ewell, 5 May 1862
This is an example of one of the 966 petitions filled for compensation following the District of Columbia Emancipation Act, which offered $300 per slave to legal slave owners in the District.
These petitions have been transcribed by Civil War…