The Washington Supplement To Emancipation Petition was a document created by the government of Washington D.C. in 1862. It was a supplement to the national Emancipation Proclamation which had been signed by President Abraham Lincoln earlier that year. The document allowed enslaved persons who were living in Washington D.C. to formally petition for their freedom. The petition also granted the enslaved persons the right to receive compensation for their labor and to be legally declared free. The petition also stated that those who had already been freed, as well as those in bondage, would be entitled to the same rights and privileges as any other resident of Washington D.C. The Washington Supplement To Emancipation Petition was divided into two distinct forms: one for persons born in bondage, and one for persons born free. The petition was a detailed process requiring the submission of signatures from witnesses to the petitioner's identity and status. Once approved, the petition was sent to a board of commissioners who would review the application and make a final determination on the petitioner's status. The Washington Supplement To Emancipation Petition was a crucial step in the process of freeing enslaved persons in Washington D.C. and helped to set a precedent for the future emancipation of slaves throughout the United States.