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Emancipation Day in United States

Quick Facts

Emancipation Day is a state-wide observation in Ohio on September 22.

Local names

NameLanguage
Emancipation DayEnglish
Día de la EmancipaciónSpanish

Emancipation Day 2013

Sunday, September 22, 2013

Emancipation Day 2014

Monday, September 22, 2014
List of dates for other years

Residents of Ohio commemorate the abolishment of slavery on Emancipation Day, which falls on September 22. Some other states have similar celebrations, but they fall on different dates.

The Emancipation Proclamation went into effect on January 1, 1863.

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What do people do?

Emancipation Day has been observed annually since 1863 in Gallia County in south-eastern Ohio, so this celebration is most widely known and usually attracts more than 2000 visitors from Ohio and the rest of the United States. Today's celebration includes concerts, historic re-enactments, food and a wide range of other activities.

Public life

Emancipation Day is not a public holiday in Ohio, but it is a state-wide observation. Offices, banks, businesses and schools are normally open, although this may vary in some cases.

Background

On September 22, 1862, Abraham Lincoln issued a preliminary proclamation, which required all states to abandon slavery within 100 days. It declared all slaves “thenceforth and forever more free”. The Emancipation Proclamation went into effect on January 1, 1863.

The abolishment of slavery in the United States is celebrated on different dates in other parts of the country. For example, Texas commomorates the liberation of the last remaining slaves on Juneteenth, while residents of Washington DC celebrate Emancipation Day on April 16 each year, remembering the signing of the Compensated Emancipation Act on April 16, 1862.

Emancipation Day Observances

WeekdayDateYearNameHoliday typeWhere it is observed
SatSep 221990Emancipation DayState holidayOhio
SunSep 221991Emancipation DayState holidayOhio
TueSep 221992Emancipation DayState holidayOhio
WedSep 221993Emancipation DayState holidayOhio
ThuSep 221994Emancipation DayState holidayOhio
FriSep 221995Emancipation DayState holidayOhio
SunSep 221996Emancipation DayState holidayOhio
MonSep 221997Emancipation DayState holidayOhio
TueSep 221998Emancipation DayState holidayOhio
WedSep 221999Emancipation DayState holidayOhio
FriSep 222000Emancipation DayState holidayOhio
SatSep 222001Emancipation DayState holidayOhio
SunSep 222002Emancipation DayState holidayOhio
MonSep 222003Emancipation DayState holidayOhio
WedSep 222004Emancipation DayState holidayOhio
ThuSep 222005Emancipation DayState holidayOhio
FriSep 222006Emancipation DayState holidayOhio
SatSep 222007Emancipation DayState holidayOhio
MonSep 222008Emancipation DayState holidayOhio
TueSep 222009Emancipation DayState holidayOhio
WedSep 222010Emancipation DayState holidayOhio
ThuSep 222011Emancipation DayState holidayOhio
SatSep 222012Emancipation DayState holidayOhio
SunSep 222013Emancipation DayState holidayOhio
MonSep 222014Emancipation DayState holidayOhio
TueSep 222015Emancipation DayState holidayOhio
ThuSep 222016Emancipation DayState holidayOhio
FriSep 222017Emancipation DayState holidayOhio
SatSep 222018Emancipation DayState holidayOhio
SunSep 222019Emancipation DayState holidayOhio
TueSep 222020Emancipation DayState holidayOhio

Other holidays in September 2013 in United States

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