Emancipation Day 2025 Dc. Emancipation day celebrates president abraham lincoln’s signing of the compensated emancipation act on 16 april 1862. D.c.’s emancipation day celebration is taking place sunday, with a full day of events scheduled at freedom plaza.

Tomorrow celebrates emancipation day, the 160th anniversary of president abraham lincoln signing a bill ending slavery and freeing over 3,100 enslaved. The dc compensated emancipation act of 1862 ended slavery in washington, dc, freed 3,100 individuals, reimbursed those who had legally owned them and offered the newly freed women and men money to emigrate.