NATIONAL ARCHIVES EXPLORES DC EMANCIPATION AND 19TH-CENTURY LIFE
NATIONAL ARCHIVES EXPLORES DC EMANCIPATION AND 19TH-CENTURY LIFE APRIL 16
Expert panel reflects on pivotal time for African Americans in
Washington, DC
Washington, DC. . . On Thursday, April 16, at 7 PM, the National
Archives hosts a special program titled “DC Emancipation and
19th-Century Life.” This program is free and open to the public and
will be held in the William G. McGowan Theater of the National Archives
Museum in Washington, DC, and streamed live via YouTube. Attendees
should use the Special Events entrance, located on Constitution Avenue
at 7th Street, NW. The building is fully accessible. Metro: Yellow or
Green lines, Archives/Navy Memorial station.
What was 19th-century life like for enslaved and free African Americans
in Washington, DC? What was the impact of DC Emancipation in and around
the city? An expert panel discusses these topics as well as how the
assassination of President Abraham Lincoln was observed after the Civil
War. MAURICE JACKSON, Associate Professor of History and
African-American Studies at Georgetown University, will moderate a
discussion with ELIZABETH CLARK-LEWIS, Howard University; GEORGE
MUSGROVE, UMBC; and CHRIS MYERS of Washington History. Presented in
partnership with DC City Government and the National Museum of African
American History and Culture.
THE DC EMANCIPATION ACT [1]: Signed into law by President Abraham
Lincoln on April 16, 1862, the D.C. Emancipation Act freed enslaved
persons in Washington, DC. Their owners were compensated by the U.S.
Treasury Department.
Related online resources from the National Archives:
In this DC Emancipation Act video [2], archivist
Damani Davis discusses the petitions filed by owners and slaves under
the Act and the details they reveal about the enslaved African-American
community at the time. Archivist Robert Ellis explains how the process
worked.
Read archivist Damani Davis’ Prologue Magazine
article: Slavery and Emancipation in the Nation's Capital: Using
Federal Records to Explore the Lives of African American Ancestors [3].
See Featured Document: The District of Columbia
Emancipation Act [1].
For press information contact the National Archives Public Affairs staff at 202-357-5300. Follow us on: Twitter: http://twitter.com/USNatArchives Facebook: USNationalArchives
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