D.C. Emancipation Act Anniversary

April 16th is the 150th anniversary of President Lincoln’s signing the District of Columbia Emancipation Act. This act provided for compensation of former owners loyal to the Union who freed slaves. Its model of compensation was not followed in the Emancipation Proclamation of January 1, 1863, but it signaled the coming end of slavery. For many years, it was celebrated in Washington with parades and other events. If your income tax return is not done, this anniversary is why you have an extra day to do it. 

D.C. Emancipation Act, Public Law 37-50, April 16, 1862 “An Act for the release of certain persons from service or labor in the District of Columbia” Record Group 11 is written on parchment in iron gall ink with some printed text. The first and signature pages are on view now at the Capitol Visitor Center to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. The parchment sheets were encapsulated in polyester and mounted in a double window mat of archival board. The document was then covered with acrylic that blocks harmful ultraviolet radiation.

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