The Emancipation Memorial, also known as the Freedman's Memorial or the Emancipation Group, is a statue located in Lincoln Park in Washington, D.C. The monument was designed and sculpted by Thomas Ball and was dedicated on April 11, 1876. It was paid for by funds raised by the Western Sanitary Commission, a relief organization that provided aid to former slaves during the Civil War.

The monument depicts President Abraham Lincoln standing over a crouching African American man who has broken chains at his feet. The figure of the freed slave is often criticized for its portrayal as submissive and passive, reinforcing stereotypes of African Americans as dependent on white benevolence for their freedom.

The Emancipation Memorial has been the subject of controversy and debate within the Black community and beyond. Some argue that the monument perpetuates a white savior narrative and fails to emphasize the agency and resistance of African Americans in their quest for freedom. Others believe that the statue should be preserved as a historical artifact representing the struggle for emancipation.

In recent years, there have been calls for the removal or relocation of the Emancipation Memorial to better reflect the complexities of Black history and the ongoing fight for racial justice. The statue continues to provoke conversations about representation, power dynamics, and the legacy of slavery in America.