Browse Items (19 total)

Large crowd of African Americans celebrating the abolition of slavery in Washington, D.C.

President Lincoln's letter to Congress informing them that he singed the District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act. Click here to view this document

A newspaper article from the Cleveland Gazette covering in great detail the 25th anniversary of the DC Emancipation Act. The article highlights prominent two locals who participated in the event: Professor James Monroe Gregory and the Honorable…

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.

An image of our 16th president who not only liberated the slaves in Dc, but throughout the nation.

When the District of Columbia celebrated the four year anniversary of the Emancipation Act,. there was a large parade, and the crowds were addressed by many including Rev. Henry Highland Garnet.

This is a current aerial view of Franklin Square in Washington, DC. This was the site of the first Emancipation Act anniversary celebration. Compare this photo to the F. Dielman sketch from 1866.

Designed and sculpted by Thomas Ball and erected in 1876, the monument depicts Abraham Lincoln in his role of the "Great Emancipator" freeing a male African American slave modeled on Archer Alexander

Also known as the Freedman’s Memorial or the…

This Google map was created to allow you to zoom in and out and gain a relative perspective of the events, which took place in 1866 and 1991. Click here to access the interactive features of this map.

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.