By D. Kevin McNeir
Special to the AFRO
Thousands of citizens took advantage of a beautiful, sunny day on April 13 to enjoy a diverse lineup of entertainers, a festive parade and fireworks in observance of DC Emancipation Day.
The event, held at Freedom Plaza located just blocks away from the U.S. Capitol, kicked off at 2 p.m. with a parade led by a contingent of public safety officials and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and her daughter, Miranda, who were accompanied by dozens of supporters – all of them decked out in green. The evening concluded with spectacular fireworks which lit up the cloudless evening skies.
While Bowser did not speak, a statement was sent to the media which indicated her thoughts about the 20th anniversary of the annual celebration.
“As Mayor Muriel Bowser continues to champion inclusive prosperity, DC Emancipation Day events celebrate DC’s progress in advancing racial equality, civil rights, and amplify the importance of the continued fight for DC statehood,” the statement said.
The mayor’s office served as the sponsor of the event, in collaboration with the Office of Cable Television, Film, Music and Entertainment, which captured the sights and sounds of the celebration.
Reflections varied among the event’s participants, from those who wanted to dance and shout to soulful sounds of go-go, gospel and R&B, to others who viewed the day as a means of observing Washington, D.C.’s history and sharing it with today’s youth.
Some attendees, like friends Rekaria Baker, 42, and Evony Smith, 47, both from Southeast D.C, moved along the parade route, encouraging the participants – some waving flags and wearing dazzling costumes representing their Latin American and Caribbean native countries.
“This is my first time attending Emancipation Day, but it won’t be my last,” said Baker, who added that while her main goal was to enjoy the weather, she was surprised by how much fun she had.
Smith, a native Washingtonian, said this year marked her third time attending the event.
“This is more than just a celebration of the end of slavery in Washington, D.C. – it’s about Black people being afforded the opportunity to finally control their own lives and destinies. But unfortunately, more than a century later, we’re killing one another instead of coming together to strengthen our communities,” Smith said.
Grammy-nominated recording artist, Raheem DeVaughn, spoke with the press before taking to the stage and electrifying the audience. Credit: AFRO photos/D. Kevin McNeir 
With the U.S. Capitol in the background, crowds assembled along Pennsylvania Avenue for the 20th anniversary of DC Emancipation Day, which began with a parade on April 13. Credit: AFRO photos/D. Kevin McNeir 
Post-millennials Daisha Singletary, left, and Lauryn Turnage enjoy the festivities during DC Emancipation Day 2025 and say they will encourage more youth to come out in the future. Credit: AFRO photos/D. Kevin McNeir 
Go-go music is front and center during the parade for DC Emancipation Day 2025 with a truck full of musicians and singers garnering the attention of faithful fans. Credit: AFRO photos/D. Kevin McNeir 
The flags representing D.C. citizens who hail from Caribbean nations are flying high on DC Emancipation Day, April 13. Credit: AFRO photos/D. Kevin McNeir 
A parade is not a parade without a talented drumline. Credit: AFRO photos/D. Kevin McNeir 
Native Washingtonian Charlene Louis, along with Butterbean, her six-month-old Jack Russell, says she didn’t learn about Emancipation Day while attending D.C. public schools. But now that she knows the history, she comes out every year and spreads the word. Credit: AFRO photos/D. Kevin McNeir 
Washington, D.C.’s proud and growing Hispanic community continues to make its presence known each year during DC Emancipation Day. Credit: AFRO photos/D. Kevin McNeir 
Miss Black USA DC Latena Hazaid, left, and Ms. Senior DC 2023 Cerise Turner attend DC Emancipation Day. They say statehood remains an unfulfilled goal for all Washingtonians. Credit: AFRO photos/D. Kevin McNeir 
Gal pals Mercedes Beverly, of Charles County, Md., and Gwendolyn Horton, of Northwest Washington, D.C., say they came out to enjoy the music of Raheem DeVaughn, Chante Moore and their favorite, Anthony Hamilton. Credit: AFRO photos/D. Kevin McNeir 
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser and her team are among the first participants in the parade on DC Emancipation Day 2025. Credit: AFRO photos/D. Kevin McNeir
Lest we forget
C.R. Gibbs, an author, lecturer and exhibitor of historical information and artifacts, provided insight on the history and significance of DC Emancipation Day on the city’s website, www.emancipation.dc.gov.
“April 16, 1862, marks the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia. Over 3,000 enslaved persons were freed eight months before the Emancipation Proclamation liberated slaves in the South. The District also has the distinction of being the only part of the United States to have compensated slave owners for freeing enslaved persons they held,” wrote Gibbs, who noted that even the “Anglo-African,” a Black newspaper published in New York, placed the event into a national perspective with an editorial written in 1862.
“April 16 remained a special day in the hearts of the District’s Black residents,” Gibbs continued. “On the first Emancipation Day anniversary after the end of the Civil War, the city’s Black community organized a huge parade. The District of Columbia Emancipation Day parade became an annual event that continued into the early years of the twentieth century.”
While the late Mayor Marion Barry was the first to support celebrating DC Emancipation Day as a holiday, it was just 20 years ago, in 2005, that then-Mayor Anthony Williams signed legislation officially making April 16 a public holiday in the District of Columbia.
Black history is American history
For fourth-generation Washingtonian Cerise Turner, Ms. Senior DC 2023, statehood remains the seminal issue on her mind.
“We were brought to America against our will, we were forced into slavery and somehow, we survived,” Turner said. “Emancipation Day in D.C. gave us control over our lives, over our resources and gave us the freedom to govern ourselves as we desired. We must follow the example of our ancestors and keep hope alive.”
Charlene Louis, also a native Washingtonian, said she began to attend the annual festivities the day after the pandemic, and she hopes more people will come out in the future.
“I’m over 40 years old and I don’t remember learning about this in school, but it’s part of our culture – our history – and it matters,” Louis said. “It’s great to see more people attend each year to celebrate and embrace this historic milestone. And because D.C. is a melting pot, this is a day for all Washingtonians to honor.”
Two post-millenials Daisha Singletary, 25, and Lauryn Turnage, 26, both from the District, said they hope others from their generation will keep the celebration a focal point in their lives.
“Last year I worked with the mayor’s office to teach others about Emancipation Day – to share what happened and how it marked a new beginning for Black people,” Singletary said.
“When you think about the circumstances and the injustices that our ancestors faced, it’s amazing that we’ve come as far as we have today,” Turnage said. “Whether they teach it in school or not, we’ve got to pass on this history to youth. We’re free today, but we weren’t always free. Freedom did not come easily. But sometimes I wonder if it could be easily taken away.”
