HR1223 LRB095 20857 GRL 49674 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives are pleased to acknowledge the celebration of
4 Emancipation Day in the District of Columbia; and
 
5     WHEREAS, The municipality of Washington D.C. celebrates
6 April 16 of every year as Emancipation Day; on April 16, 1862,
7 President Abraham Lincoln signed the Compensated Emancipation
8 Act for the release of certain persons held to service or labor
9 in the District of Columbia; the Act, along with the
10 Supplemental Compensated Emancipation Act, freed approximately
11 3,100 enslaved persons in the District of Columbia nine months
12 before President Lincoln issued his famous Emancipation
13 Proclamation, which presaged the eventual end of slavery to the
14 rest of the nation; the District of Columbia Compensated
15 Emancipation Act represents the only example of compensation by
16 the federal government to former owners of emancipated slaves;
17 and
 
18     WHEREAS, On January 4, 2005, Washington D.C. Mayor Anthony
19 Williams signed legislation making Emancipation Day an
20 official public holiday in the District of Columbia; each year,
21 a series of activities is held during the public holiday,
22 including the traditional Emancipation Day parade celebrating
23 the freedom of enslaved persons in the District of Columbia;

 

 

HR1223 - 2 - LRB095 20857 GRL 49674 r

1 the Emancipation Day celebration was held yearly from 1866 to
2 1901, then experienced a hiatus until 1991, when the
3 celebration was revived by DC Reading is Fundamental; the
4 Emancipation Day celebration was formally resumed as a
5 tradition and historic celebration in 2002 as a direct result
6 of years of research, lobbying, and leadership by Ms. Loretta
7 Carter-Hanes; and
 
8     WHEREAS, The celebration of Emancipation Day is a wonderful
9 display of the value of human freedom and equality for this
10 State, the nation, and the world at large; therefore, be it
 
11     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
12 NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
13 acknowledge the celebration of Emancipation Day in the District
14 of Columbia and wish the residents of Washington D.C. a happy
15 and safe celebration of this holiday; and be it further
 
16     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
17 presented to Washington D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty as a symbol of
18 our esteem and respect.