Emancipation Day in DC

Emancipation Day in DC

Emancipation Day in DC
Tax Day is traditionally April 15. So, why is it April 18 this year? You can thank Emancipation Day for your three-day reprieve. Here's why:

The standard: If April 15 falls on the weekend, the tax deadline is moved to Monday.

This year: Emancipation Day, April 16, is a legal holiday only in Washington, D.C.  Since it falls on a Saturday this year, it will be observed April 15. A federal statute says tax filings are impacted nationwide, so this year's tax deadline is Monday.

Next, let's get some background on Emancipation Day and how slavery ended in the U.S.

The Compensated Emancipation Act
On April 16, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Compensated Emancipation Act (read the document), which freed all slaves within the District of Columbia, the first in the nation to be freed by the federal government. The more famous Emancipation Proclamation took effect 36 weeks later, but the District of Columbia continues to celebrate Emancipation Day on the anniversary of the first act.

Proclamations notwithstanding, America's slaves weren't all freed at the same time.

Let's look at how slavery ended state by state.

Gradual emancipation
The following states passed their own gradual emancipation laws, designed to phase out the institution of slavery over a period of time.

Massachusetts
Year passed | State flag photos | State motto
Note: State constitution adopted with freedom clause, which courts interpreted as prohibiting slavery

Pennsylvania
Year passed | State flag photos | State motto

Rhode Island
Year passed | State flag photos | State motto

Connecticut
Year passed | State flag photos | State motto

New York
Year passed | State flag photos | State motto

New Jersey
Year passed | State flag photos | State motto

New Hampshire
Year passed | State flag photos | State motto

Granted statehood as a 'free' state
While in many cases slavery had already been abolished when they were territories, the following states were admitted into the Union as "free" states:

Vermont
Year admitted | State flag photos | State motto

Ohio
Year admitted | State flag photos | State motto

Indiana
Year admitted | State flag photos | State motto

Illinois
Year admitted | State flag photos | State motto

Maine
Year admitted | State flag photos | State motto

Michigan
Year admitted | State flag photos | State motto

Iowa
Year admitted | State flag photos | State motto

Wisconsin
Year admitted | State flag photos | State motto

California
Year admitted | State flag photos | State motto

Minnesota
Year admitted | State flag photos | State motto

Oregon
Year admitted| State flag photos | State motto

Kansas
Year admitted | State flag photos | State motto

Freed by the Emancipation Proclamation
Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 ended slavery in the following states that had seceded, provided the Union won the war:

Alabama
State flag photos | State motto

Arkansas
State flag photos | State motto

Florida
State flag photos | State motto

Georgia
State flag photos | State motto

Louisiana
State flag photos | State motto

Mississippi
State flag photos | State motto

North Carolina
State flag photos | State motto

South Carolina
State flag photos | State motto

Tennessee
State flag photos | State motto

Texas
State flag photos | State motto

Virginia
State flag photos | State motto

Freed by the 13th Amendment
In 1865, the ratification of the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution ended slavery in the following "slave slates" that had not secede.

Delaware
State flag photos | State motto

Kentucky
State flag photos | State motto

Maryland
State flag photos | State motto

Missouri
State flag photos | State motto

West Virginia
State flag photos | State motto