On April 16, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln abolished slavery in Washington, D.C., freeing more than 3,000 people.
It was a joyful day that came after decades of effort by abolitionists and amid the Civil War.
In 2025, D.C. is celebrating 20 years of officially observing the holiday. A parade, festival, concert and fireworks will mark D.C. Emancipation Day on Sunday, April 13. It's free to attend.
Grammy winner Anthony Hamilton, NAACP Image Award winner Chanté Moore, The Crank Crusaders featuring D.C.’s own Raheem DeVaughn and DJ Kool will take the stage for the All-Star Concert starting at 4 p.m.
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The family-friendly festival has plenty for kids, too, including mini golf, a gaming lounge, crafts and carnival and arcade games.
Go early for the parade stepping off from 10th and Pennsylvania Avenue NW at 2 p.m., and stay late for the fireworks finale at 8:30 p.m.
The African American History and Culture Museum will also host a celebration on the actual holiday.
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What is D.C.’s Emancipation Day?
Emancipation Day honors the day slavery ended in Washington, D.C. after President Lincoln signed the DC Compensated Emancipation Act in 1862.
District residents marked the first anniversary after the Civil War with a parade. For the last 159 years, D.C. has marked the important date with celebrations including concerts, parades and more.
How did D.C.'s Black community react to the news?
African-Americans had been traveling to D.C. to escape war and bondage for years, and the District's Black community felt deep joy upon learning of the Emancipation Act, historian C.R. Gibbs wrote in an explainer.
He quotes a letter that a Black resident of the District wrote to a friend in Baltimore:
"When I had finished the chambermaid had left the room sobbing for joy. The slave women clapped her hands and shouted, left the house saying, “let me go and tell my husband that Jesus has done all things well.” While the cook who is free retired to another room to offer thanks for the blessing sent. Should I not feel glad to see so much rejoicing around me?"
What did the Emancipation Act do and how is it different from the Emancipation Proclamation?
The DC Compensated Emancipation Act of 1862 was passed by Congress and signed by President Lincoln. It ended slavery in the District, reimbursed former slave owners up to $300 and provided $100 for freed men and women if they chose to emigrate to another country.
The Emancipation Proclamation was issued months later on Jan. 1, 1863. It freed all enslaved people in “rebellious” states fighting with the Confederacy but allowed slavery to continue within the Union.
Is Emancipation Day different than Juneteenth?
Juneteenth, also called Emancipation Day, is a nationwide celebration on June 19 that marks the day that news of the Emancipation Proclamation spread to Texas in 1865.
Is D.C.’s Emancipation Day an official holiday?
Emancipation Day was made an official public holiday in the District in 2005 after lobbying from community members, including Loretta Carter Hanes.
What’s closed for the official holiday on April 16?
Some city services will be paused. All Department of Motor Vehicles offices will be closed on Wednesday, April 16.
Trash services will slide to Thursday, April 17.
D.C. Public Schools would close for the holiday, but students and teachers will be on spring break next week.
What’s open?
Typically, federal services like the U.S. Postal Service remain open, as do outdoor parks.
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