DC Emancipation Day 2021: What’s Open, Closed In The District

WASHINGTON, DC — Public schools and many D.C. government agencies are closed Friday for DC Emancipation Day, which marks the emancipation of enslaved Black people in the District of Columbia. This week marks the 159th year since Emancipation Day was first observed.

On April 16, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Compensated Emancipation Act, freeing more than 3,000 enslaved Black people in the nation’s capital and paying the former slaveowners up to $300 for each newly freed person.

Emancipation would not come for the rest of the country until a few years later in 1865 after the conclusion of the Civil War and the ratification of the 13th Amendment.

Black people in D.C. celebrated their new freedom with parades and festivities and would continue to do so throughout the years until the holiday fell from prominence in the early 1900s. Emancipation Day would later see a revival, resulting in the city restarting the parades in 2002 and officially making Emancipation Day a D.C. public holiday in 2005.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be no parades in 2021 to celebrate DC Emancipation Day. Instead, the city is hosting a virtual DC Freedom Concert for DC Statehood on on Friday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Below are the schedule changes to know for the DC Emancipation Day on Friday:

Trash and Recycling: Household trash and recycling collections that would normally happen on Friday will be moved to Saturday.

Libraries: D.C. public libraries will be closed Friday, but virtual library programs will be available.

Parks and Rec: The Department of Parks and Recreation's community and aquatic centers will be closed Friday.

Department of Human Services: The Department of Human Services Economic Security Administration Service Centers will be closed Friday.

Meals: Meal distribution sites run by D.C. Public Schools and the Department of Parks and Recreation will also be closed Friday.

DMV: All Department of Motor Vehicle locations will be closed Friday. The District does not require that parking meter fees be paid on holidays, including Emancipation Day.

COVID-19 Testing: All publicly run COVID-19 testing sites will be closed Friday.

COVID-19 Vaccinations: All COVID-19 vaccination sites will be open Friday and scheduled appointments will be honored. Anyone 16 or older can register at vaccinate.dc.gov or by calling 855-363-0333.

Emergency Shelter: All low-barrier shelters will remain open on Friday. Families and individuals seeking access to homeless services should call the DC Shelter Hotline at 202-399-7093. The Downtown Day Services Center, at 1313 New York Avenue, NW will be open on Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. by appointment-only for essential services (shower, laundry, phones, clothing distribution). To schedule an appointment for services, email ddsc@pathwaysdc.org.

Post Office: All U.S. Postal Service locations will be open during their usual hours.

Transit: DC Circulator’s reduced schedule/modified service remains in effect. DC Streetcar will operate on its normal schedule. Metro trains and buses will run on their normal schedule.