Abolition of slavery celebration... The Emancipation Parade!

THE NEW YORK TIMES, April 20, 1866

 

* The 1866 celebration of the abolition of slavery within the District of Columbia

* Historically called the "Emancipation Day" parade

 

The front page has one column headings that include: "WASHINGTON NEWS", "The Celebration of the Abolition of Slavery", "A Large and Very Orderly Parade", "Remarks of President Johnson to the Freedmen", and more. Coverage on the 4th anniversary of the abolishment of slavery in the district of Columbia which is now referred to as the "Emancipation Day" parade. Quite historic.

Other news of the day is found throughout which helps top provide contemporary context.

Complete in 8 pages, in good condition.
 

Background (Grok/Chatgpt): The celebration held on April 19, 1866, in Washington, D.C., was a powerful and deeply symbolic moment in American history—often recognized as the first “Emancipation Day” parade. It marked the passage of the Compensated Emancipation Act, which freed over 3,000 enslaved people in the District of Columbia and provided payment to former slaveholders.

The parade began at Franklin Square and moved through the city in a vibrant display of pride and purpose. Black fraternal organizations, church congregations, and school groups marched side by side, their voices united in a stirring cry of “Never again!”—a bold affirmation that the chains of slavery had been broken for good.

The day was filled with speeches by prominent Black leaders, including Frederick Douglass, who used the occasion to champion the urgent need for voting rights and true equality. President Andrew Johnson also addressed the crowd, though his remarks were widely criticized for their evasive position on Reconstruction and civil rights.

This historic gathering laid the foundation for what would become an annual tradition of Emancipation Day observances—celebrations that continue in Washington, D.C., to this day. It was not just a parade; it was a declaration of freedom, dignity, and the unshakable determination of a people claiming their rightful place in the fabric of the nation.