(Washington, DC)  Mayor Adrian M. Fenty celebrated DC Emancipation Day, a legal public holiday in the District of Columbia, earlier today.  DC Emancipation Day festivities included a week-long program highlighting the history of the District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act of 1862 and a Voting Rights March down Pennsylvania Avenue. The mayor was joined by Chairman Vincent C. Gray, Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, City Council members, the Statehood Delegation, and thousands of District residents in support of full voting representation in Congress.

Ilir Zherka, Executive Director for DC Vote, and his team helped to organize the march. The Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, People For the American Way, Common Cause, MoveOn.org, local unions, teachers, and students are just some of the organizations who worked to recruit marchers.

For further highlights, visit dc.gov/emancipationday and www.votingrightsmarch.org.