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Events on April 16 in history

District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act
1862Apr, 16

American Civil War: The District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act, a bill ending slavery in the District of Columbia, becomes law.

An Act for the Release of certain Persons [Black slaves] held to Service or Labor within the District of Columbia, 37th Cong., Sess. 2, ch. 54, 12 Stat. 376, known colloquially as the District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act or simply Compensated Emancipation Act, was a law that ended slavery in the District of Columbia, providing slave owners partial compensation for releasing their slaves. Although not written by him, the Act was signed by U.S. President Abraham Lincoln on April 16, 1862. April 16 is now celebrated in the city as DC Emancipation Day.

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Events on 1862

  • 30Jan

    USS Monitor

    The first American ironclad warship, the USS Monitor is launched.
  • 31Jan

    White dwarf

    Alvan Graham Clark discovers the white dwarf star Sirius B, a companion of Sirius, through an 18.5-inch (47 cm) telescope now located at Northwestern University.
  • 13Mar

    Emancipation Proclamation

    American Civil War: The U.S. federal government forbids all Union army officers from returning fugitive slaves, thus effectively annulling the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 and setting the stage for the Emancipation Proclamation.
  • 15May

    Abraham Lincoln

    President Abraham Lincoln signs a bill into law creating the United States Bureau of Agriculture. It is later renamed the United States Department of Agriculture.
  • 17Aug

    Dakota War of 1862

    American Indian Wars: The Dakota War of 1862 begins in Minnesota as Lakota warriors attack white settlements along the Minnesota River.