Many of these events occur during the first week of August as slavery was abolished in the British Empire on August 1, 1834. There are also similar events in many countries in the Caribbean, including Anguilla, Bahamas, Bermuda, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Elsewhere in the United States, the emancipation of slaves is celebrated in Florida (May 20), Puerto Rico (March 22) and Texas (June 19). On January 4, 2005, legislation was signed to make Emancipation Day an official public holiday in the District of Columbia. Slavery and the racial divisions, upon which it was based, have had and continue to have huge implications for individuals and American society as a whole.Įmancipation Day in Washington DC marks the anniversary of the signing of the Compensated Emancipation Act. However, it was only ratified in Mississippi in 1995. It was proposed on January 31, 1865, and ratified by 30 of the then 36 states in the same year.
The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution formally ended slavery in the US. However, slavery did not officially end in the rest of the United States until after the American Civil War, which lasted from 1861 until 1865. On April 16, 1862, Abraham Lincoln, who was the US president at the time, signed the Compensated Emancipation Act, which freed more than 3000 slaves in the District of Columbia. By 1860, there were about four million slaves in the United States. Many slaves were of African origin and many slave owners were of European descent, although some other groups also had slaves. Backgroundįormal slavery was legal until 1865 in most of the area that is now the United States. In all other areas of the United States, April 16 is a normal day and public life is not affected. This 2007 date change was not discovered until after many forms went to print. In 2007, the observance Emancipation Day in Washington DC had the effect of nationally extending the 2006 income tax filing deadline from April 16 to April 17. In some years, Emancipation Day may be the reason to extend the deadline for filing an income tax return (Tax Day). However, many stores and businesses are open and there are no changes to public transit services. Local government offices are closed and many public services do not operate. Public LifeĪpril 16 is a legal holiday in Washington DC. Attention is also paid to the African origin of many slaves and racial issues in modern American society. The events aim to educate a broad spectrum of people about the history of the municipality of the District of Columbia in general and slavery in particular. These are spread throughout the month of April and include exhibitions, public discussions, presentations of historic documents, the laying of wreaths, concerts and poetry readings. ©/Felix Möckel What Do People Do?Ī wide range of events are arranged in Washington DC to mark Emancipation Day. Is Emancipation Day a Public Holiday?Įmancipation Day is a public holiday in District of Columbia, where it is a day off for the general population, and schools and most businesses are closed.Įmancipation Day marks the signing of the Compensated Emancipation Act in 1862. Sun, District of Columbia Observed onMon, District of ColumbiaĮmancipation Day is a holiday in Washington DC to mark the anniversary of the signing of the Compensated Emancipation Act, which president Abraham Lincoln signed on April 16, 1862.
Observed onFri, District of Columbia Sat, District of Columbia Business Date to Date (exclude holidays).
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