1. On April 11, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the D.C. Emancipation Act, which ended slavery in Washington, D.C. and freed approximately 3,100 enslaved individuals. This was one of the first steps towards national abolition of slavery.

2. In 1923, the Harding Memorial Bridge, now known as the Arlington Memorial Bridge, was dedicated to honor the memory of President Harding. The bridge spans the Potomac River between Arlington, Virginia and Washington, D.C.

3. On April 11, 1945, President Franklin D. Roosevelt passed away after suffering a stroke. His death shocked the nation and led to Vice President Harry Truman assuming the presidency.

4. The District of Columbia Home Rule Act was signed into law by President Richard Nixon on April 11, 1973. This granted greater autonomy to the District and allowed for the election of a mayor and city council.

5. In 1997, the African American Civil War Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C. to honor the sacrifices of African American soldiers and sailors who fought for the Union during the Civil War. The monument features a sculpture of soldiers and bears the names of over 200,000 individuals who served in the Union Army.