District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act facts for kids

The District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act was a special law passed in 1862. It ended slavery in Washington, D.C., the capital city of the United States. This law also offered money to slave owners who were loyal to the U.S. government during the American Civil War. President Abraham Lincoln signed this important act on April 16, 1862. Today, April 16 is celebrated in Washington, D.C. as Emancipation Day.

How It Happened

People had been trying to end slavery in Washington, D.C. for a long time. Even in the 1830s, there were discussions about it. In 1849, Abraham Lincoln, who was a representative back then, suggested a plan. He wanted to end slavery in D.C. by paying slave owners for their enslaved people. But his plan didn't pass.

Later, in 1850, a law was passed that stopped the buying and selling of enslaved people in Washington, D.C. However, people could still own enslaved people there. They could also buy and sell them in nearby states like Maryland and Virginia.

Ending slavery in Washington, D.C. became possible in 1861. This was because senators and representatives from states that supported slavery left Congress. They had previously blocked any attempts to end slavery anywhere.

In December 1861, a new bill was introduced in Congress. It was written by Thomas Marshall Key and supported by Senator Henry Wilson from Massachusetts. The bill aimed to end slavery in Washington, D.C. It passed the Senate on April 3, 1862, and the House of Representatives on April 11.

President Lincoln wanted the bill to include a public vote in D.C. and a delay before it took effect. But these ideas were not added to the final bill. Lincoln signed the bill on April 16, 1862. This act freed all enslaved people in Washington, D.C. It also set aside $1 million to pay slave owners who were loyal to the U.S. government. An extra $100,000 was set aside to pay newly freed people $100 if they chose to leave the United States. They could go to places like Haiti or Liberia.

This act was passed almost nine months before the famous Emancipation Proclamation.

What Happened Next

To manage the payments, a group of three people called the Emancipation Commission was created. To get money, former slave owners had to prove they owned the enslaved people. They also had to show they were loyal to the Union. Most people who asked for money were white. But some Black people also applied. They had bought their own family members to free them from other owners.

Almost all of the $1 million set aside was used. In total, 3,185 enslaved people were freed because of this act. However, laws about runaway enslaved people still applied to those who had fled from Maryland to Washington, D.C. These laws were finally ended in 1864.

The idea of paying slave owners to free enslaved people was not used anywhere else in the United States. This act was the only one of its kind. But it was a big step towards ending slavery across the country.

In Washington, D.C., April 16 has been celebrated as Emancipation Day since 1866. There was an annual parade until 1901. It stopped because of a lack of money and support. But the parade started again in 2002. In 2005, Emancipation Day became an official city holiday in Washington, D.C.

One example is Gabriel Coakley, a leader in the Black Catholic community in Washington. When the act passed, he successfully asked for money for his wife and children. He had bought their freedom years before. He was one of the few Black Washingtonians to make such a claim. The government paid him $1,489.20 for eight people he "owned."

More Laws Added

After President Lincoln signed the act, he had some concerns. So, the U.S. Senate approved an addition to the original act on July 12, 1862. This new law allowed former enslaved people to ask for compensation if their former masters had not done so. Under this new law, the statements from Black people and white people were treated equally. Before, if a white person disagreed, the statements of Black people were often ignored.

Images for kids

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  Page 1 of the original act

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  Page 2 of the original act

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  Page 3 of the original act

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  Page 4 of the original act

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  Page 5 of the original act

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  Page 6 of the original act

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  Page 1 of the supplemental act

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  Page 2 of the supplemental act