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D.C. Government Closed In Honor Of Emancipation Day

WASHINGTON (AP) -- District government offices and schools are closed in observance of Emancipation Day.

Emancipation Day marks the occasion on April 16, 1862 when President Abraham Lincoln signed an act freeing slaves in D.C. Some 3,100 slaves were freed by the act. Lincoln freed the slaves in D.C. nine months before he issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which led to all slaves being freed.

The District is observing Emancipation Day on Friday.

That means there will be weekend or holiday traffic patterns in the city. Parking enforcement, including tickets for expired meters, residential parking and rush-hour violations, will resume Saturday. Trash and recycling collection scheduled for Friday also will move to Saturday.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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