LEARNING TOGETHER: The Story of America
Around the time of the Civil War, more than 4 million people were enslaved (most were of African descent) and most were held in the South or states bordering the South. Imagine that, about 13% of the American population was held in bondage by their fellow Americans.
Despite America’s long history of slavery, (which was legal in all 13 colonies), the 13th Amendment was the first-time slave or slavery was mentioned in the U.S. Constitution.
And although the founding fathers stressed the importance of liberty and justice for all some, like Thomas Jefferson and George Washington, were slave owners. Yet even though they may have thought slavery was morally wrong, they didn’t free their slaves. At the very least, in 1807, Jefferson signed the Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves.
The 13th Amendment in the U.S. Constitution abolished slavery in 1865.
Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude except as a punishment for crime, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.
Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
The 13th Amendment, one of three Reconstruction Amendments, was passed by the Senate on April 8, 1864, however, the Democrats in the House of Representatives felt that by freeing the slaves the federal government was in violation of states’ rights. It wasn’t until January 31,1865 that the House finally passed the 13th Amendment.
The end of slavery turned out to be a bittersweet pill for on one hand Black Americans were finally free after more than 246 years of enslavement. However, on the other hand the Reconstruction period, which at first was uplifting to Black Americans and provided great progress before our government drop the ball by allowing former slaveholders to regain control over the south. This gave rise to Jim Crow Laws, Black Codes, lynchings, voter suppression (this one’s making a return), race massacres (Black Wall Street/Tulsa, The Red Summer of 1919), etc.
Black Americans paid a heavy price for America turning a blind eye to legalized hatred. It is an injustice that Black Americans are still clawing their way out of.
Many former slaves left the South hoping for better opportunities up North, but that turned out to have its own set of problems. Although, many Northerners were against slavery, they didn’t see Black Americans as equal or entitled to all rights given to American citizens.
Today, the fight for liberty, justice, and equality for all Americans continues.
Noteworthy Fact(s):
- Black Americans have spent more time enslaved (246+ years) than free (157 years).
- What were the last three states to ratify the 13th Amendment, you ask?
- Delaware, February 12, 1901
- Kentucky, March 18, 1976
- Mississippi, March 16, 1995 (Imagine that it took Mississippi – the poorest state in the country - 130 years after the 13th Amendment was ratified to say no to slavery.)
- The 14th Amendment deals with equal protection under the law.
- The 15th Amendment gave Black men the right to vote. Women didn’t get the right to vote until 1919 via the 19th Amendment, which was ratified in August 1920.
OUR HISTORY MATTERS
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