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As a fomer educator and a lover of history I wanted to share or remind my readers of a very important fact in American History. On December 6, 150 years ago Congress ratified the 13th Amendment of our Constitution to abolish slavery.
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION
On December 6, 1865, a coalition comprising three-quarters
of our Nation’s States ratified the 13th Amendment to our
Constitution, abolishing slavery in the United States and
affirming the truth that no union founded on the principles of
liberty and equality could survive half-slave and half-free.
Bringing to a close one of the most painful chapters in our
country’s history, the Amendment ushered in a new birth of
freedom. Today, we celebrate it for the protections it restored
and the lives it liberated, and in honor of the millions of
slaves who endured brutal violence and daily indignities, we
rededicate our selves to the proposition manifested in its
ratification.
This Amendment to the Constitution came not only at the
culmination of years of Civil War, but also as a result of
courageous individuals advocating and agitating for an America
in which slavery was no longer an institution of society.
President Lincoln gave his last full measure of devotion to the
cause he would not live to see codified. He knew the basic
rights he sought for slaves could only be secured by a whole
and unified Government, and he pursued reconciliation while
remaining fierce in his conviction. Volunteers along the
Underground Railroad aided slaves seeking freedom, providing
safety and comfort in the midst of deep anguish. And soldiers
who fought, sometimes against their own sisters and brothers,
did so for both the preservation of our Union and liberty
itself. The 13th Amendment was the product of generations of
men and women who, through centuries of bloodshed and systemic
oppression, stayed true to their belief in what America could be
and kept marching toward justice.
The courage to change that sustained the abolitionist
movement carried forth in a long line of heroes who
followed — individuals who loved our country profoundly and
answered the patriotic call to push it to expand the boundaries
of freedom. From ordinary women stepping into an extraordinary
role, bravely fighting for their right to participate in our
democracy, to a coalition of conscience that marched on our
Nation’s Capital and protested for equality, the last century
and a half has been defined by those who stood resolute in
keeping lit the flame that burned in the hearts of all those
determined to secure what they knew to be their God-given
rights.
Today, we continue the long journey toward an America and a
world where liberty and equality are not reserved for some, but
extended to all. Across the globe, including right here at
home, millions of men, women, and children are victims of human
trafficking and modern-day slavery. We remain committed to
abolishing slavery in all its forms and draw strength from the
courage and resolve of generations past.
One hundred and fifty years after the 13th Amendment’s
ratification, the United States endures, and though the scourge
of slavery is a stain on our history, we remain a people not
trapped by the mistakes of our past, but one that can look at
our imperfections with humility and decide it is within our
power to remake our Nation to more closely align with our
highest ideals. On this historic occasion, let us pay tribute
to those who suffered for too long and to those who risked
everything to make this country better. With unyielding
determination to stand on their shoulders and reach for an
even freer and more equal tomorrow, we can honor them with
the recognition and respect worthy of their extraordinary
contributions to our country.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in
me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do
hereby proclaim December 6, 2015, as the 150th Anniversary of
the 13th Amendment. I call upon the people of the United States
to observe this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and
activities that celebrate the 13th Amendment.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have here unto set my hand this
fourth day of December, in the year of our Lord
two thousand fifteen, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the two hundred and fortieth.
BARACK OBAMA
