Join Us for the 150th Anniversary of the Emancipation/Freedmen's Memorial

by David J. Kent

Washington, DC

Monday, March 30, 2026

Washington's Emancipation Memorial, often called the Freedmen's Memorial, celebrates the 150th anniversary of its dedication on Saturday April 11, 2026. And the Lincoln Group of DC will be represented. Everyone's invited to this free program.

Immediately after hearing of Abraham Lincoln's assassination, a formerly enslaved woman named Charlotte Scott offered $5 to create a memorial honoring Lincoln. She was soon followed by further donations from the formerly enslaved, many of whom were African American Union veterans from the Civil War. The National Park Service, which administers Lincoln Park in Washington, DC along with the Memorial and a statue honoring educator Mary McLeod Bethune, notes that the Emancipation Memorial was paid for solely by formerly enslaved people. Then on April 14, 1876, the eleventh anniversary of the night Lincoln was shot, the statue was dedicated by keynote speaker Frederick Douglass. In the crowd was President Ulysses S. Grant, along with members of his cabinet, Congress and the Supreme Court.

The statue is not without controversy. While formerly enslaved men and women had raised the money for the statue, they were not involved in the design. Thomas Ball, a New England native, had already completed a half-life-sized marble version, which was subsequently modified and cast into its present bronze. One of the changes was to model the enslaved man's figure after Virginia-born Archer Alexander, who had gained his freedom after being enslaved in Missouri for many years. Despite the statue's history, some find the design demeaning and would prefer its removal.

In 2020, in the midst of the Covid pandemic and the protests following the murder of George Floyd, there was an attempt to remove the statue. The Lincoln Group of DC was there to help educate the populace as to its history and the statue was saved. A copy of the statue in Boston was removed from its pedestal at the time and remains in storage.

Photo by David J. Kent

The commemoration on April 11 is organized by the Park Service is intended to celebrate the statue's 150th anniversary and educate the public on its long history. The program will run from 12-5 pm and include the Washington Brass Band, children's events, mini-tours, historical reenactors (Charlotte Scott, Ulysses S. Grant, Frederick Douglass), an unveiling program like the original in 1876, and a panel discussion moderated by Ida E. Jones featuring David J. Kent, Dorris Keeven-Franke, and Kenny Burns. A commemorative wreath will be laid by an Archer Alexander descendant, Donovan Cox.

The event is free and open to all. No registration necessary, just show up. This promises to be entertaining and educational for young and old.

I look forward to seeing you there!