On this occasion, we remember the day in 1862 when President Lincoln freed the enslaved people of Washington, DC, 9 months before he issued the Emancipation Proclamation. I am proud that an original copy of that document now hangs in the Oval Office, and we remain forever grateful as a nation for the struggles and sacrifices of those Americans who made that emancipation possible.
Americans from all walks of life are gathering in Washington today to remind Members of Congress that although DC residents pay Federal taxes and serve honorably in our Armed Services, they do not have a vote in Congress or full autonomy over local issues. And so I urge Congress to finally pass legislation that provides DC residents with voting representation and to take steps to improve the Home Rule Charter.
Barack Obama, Statement on the Anniversary of Washington, DC, Emancipation Day Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/288373