Emancipation Notes

The Afro-American Emancipation Association makes further plans to celebrate of April 3rd in the coming year and continuing years because of the previous year’s turnout that was ”100,000 strong.” They will open the holiday to all “ex-union soldiers and Spanish American War Veterans,” inviting them with parades and baseball.

Emancipation Notes:
The Afro-American Emancipation Association voted at the last meeting held by them to extend an invitation to all ex-union soldiers and Spanish American War Veterans to enter the groups on April 3rd next free.
The Association makes an appeal to colored people throughout this State to celebrate April 3rd. We met with great success in this undertaking last year. Should this day, April 3rd, be celebrated? The question has been answered by the Afro-American Emancipation Association on March 1st, 1904 when they organized and subsequently by the people who on April 3rd last year turned out 10,000 strong.
We do not urge our people to celebrate this day to stir up stride create animosity in the hearts of anyone but that we may build a monument of gratitude in the hearts of the Negro race to God for our freedom, and that it may be continued from generation or, so long continued from generation to generation or, so long as there in a Negro left to treat the American sod, or all monuments have crumbled into dust.
To carry out this idea, this Association has engaged the Baseball Park and six banks to take part in the parade this year. Address all communications to J. Thomas Hewin, Secretary, 603 North Second St.
The Afro-American Emancipation Association has received the endorsement of the ministers and civic organizations of the city.
J. C. Randolph, Pres. Afro-American Emancipation Association.

“Emancipation Notes,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed February 19, 2026, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/387.