HR1223

LRB095 20857 GRL 49674 r






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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
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Representatives are pleased to acknowledge the celebration of 
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Emancipation Day in the District of Columbia; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The municipality of Washington D.C. celebrates 
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April 16 of every year as Emancipation Day; on April 16, 1862, 
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President Abraham Lincoln signed the Compensated Emancipation 
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Act for the release of certain persons held to service or labor 
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in the District of Columbia; the Act, along with the 
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Supplemental Compensated Emancipation Act, freed approximately 
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3,100 enslaved persons in the District of Columbia nine months 
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before President Lincoln issued his famous Emancipation 
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Proclamation, which presaged the eventual end of slavery to the 
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rest of the nation; the District of Columbia Compensated 
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Emancipation Act represents the only example of compensation by 
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the federal government to former owners of emancipated slaves; 
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and

 
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    WHEREAS, On January 4, 2005, Washington D.C. Mayor Anthony 
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Williams signed legislation making Emancipation Day an 
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official public holiday in the District of Columbia; each year, 
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a series of activities is held during the public holiday, 
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including the traditional Emancipation Day parade celebrating 
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the freedom of enslaved persons in the District of Columbia; 
 


 






HR1223
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LRB095 20857 GRL 49674 r




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the Emancipation Day celebration was held yearly from 1866 to 
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1901, then experienced a hiatus until 1991, when the 
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celebration was revived by DC Reading is Fundamental; the 
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Emancipation Day celebration was formally resumed as a 
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tradition and historic celebration in 2002 as a direct result 
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of years of research, lobbying, and leadership by Ms. Loretta 
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Carter-Hanes; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The celebration of Emancipation Day is a wonderful 
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display of the value of human freedom and equality for this 
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State, the nation, and the world at large; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
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acknowledge the celebration of Emancipation Day in the District 
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of Columbia and wish the residents of Washington D.C. a happy 
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and safe celebration of this holiday; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to Washington D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty as a symbol of 
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our esteem and respect.