Halt. Present arms. [band plays the starspangled ]nner please remain standing as the chaplain of the United States house of representatives, the reverend patrick conboy, gives the invocation. Let us pray. Oy lord god of mercy, we gather to remember an iconic moment in our history when millions of souls in america were declared to be slaveryn and women and was forever formally banned from by United States of america the adoption of the 13th amendment to the constitution. Advance in our evolving sense of those freedoms we have come to believe define people. Selfgoverning unfortunately, the badges and slavery for cure devices decades in intended to maintain a separate but equal, mythical world. The pains of racism, like a National Genetic defect, played a still, though so many wish it were not so. Us. Have mercy on bless those who have been elected to secure laws protecting and expanding our cherished freedoms, that the wisdom and freedom to root out all traces of involuntary servitude in our nation, most notably in Human Trafficking in our own time, so that we can declare with pride we are the land of the free. Bless us as we gather here today. Help us to give honor to our ancestors, whose heroic political exploits set us on an everexpanding course toward freedom for all people. And, dear god, bless america. Please be seated. Ladies and gentlemen, United States representative from the First District of North Carolina and the chair of the congressional black caucus, the butterfield. onesentative butterfield behalf of the representatives of the black caucus, i would like to thanks pick or ryan and sponsoring this Historic Program today i would like to thank for sponsoring this Historic Program today. The ratification of the 13th amendment is arguably the most important way in africanAmerican History and, indeed, American History. Thank you, speaker paul ryan. Thank you, president barack obama. The year was 1830. 2 million slaves resided in the United States. In addition, there were 200,000 free people of color who had obtained their freedom. Many of them were engaged in. Usiness some even had the audacity to attempt to teach slaves to read and write. Free blacks were doing great things, but they ran into resistance from slaveholding states. In 1830 and 1831, many Southern States, particularly my home state of North Carolina, made it unlawful to teach a slave to read or write. They also made it unlawful for any free person of color or slave to preach in public or officiate as a preacher or teacher in any prayer meeting or other worship where slaves of different families were gathered. The punishment for committing either crime was a fine for. Hites for free persons of color or slave offenders, the punishment was a sentence of 20 to 39. Ashes on the back the teaching of slaves and the preaching by free blacks was greatly impeded, but it did not. Nd slavery continued. Ladies and gentlemen, the congressional leaders are now prepared to present you with a historic narrative about the challenging task along the road to abolition. You will find a ratification timeline printed on the back of your program. Thank you. [applause] ladies and children, the honorable richard durbin. The honorable jim scott. The honorable steny hoyer. The honorable steve scalise. The honorable ellen holmes norton. And the honorable me a love mia love. Was 1860. R Abraham Lincoln was the republican nominee for president of the United States. While candidate lincoln did not call for the abolition of slavery, he firmly stated he was exposed to slaverys expansion into the territories. Southern states where skeptical. They threatened to secede from the union if he was elected. Lean forward to january 31, 1865. The 13th amendment passes the United States house of representatives. However, the constitution requires that three quarters of the states officially endorsed a proposed amendment before it becomes officially part of the constitution. In springfield, illinois, it was a matter of local pride. Immediately after the amendment passed on the 31st day of richard ogles be of illinois was telegraphed with an urge to ensure that president lincolns home state would be the first to ratify the historic puzzle. The next day at noon, governor ogles be forwarded the news to the state legislature along with the directive that the 13th amendment is just, it is humane, and should be approved now. By 4 30 on the afternoon of february 1, both state chambers in illinois had ratified the 13th amendment by large majorities. President lincoln was elected on november 6, 1860. 77 states seceded from the union prior to lincoln plus inauguration. For additional states seceded immediately following inauguration. A brutal civil war ensued that tore the nation apart, north against south. Southern whites were opposed to abolition because they contended that slaves were their property and not subject to federal law. The civil war rages on from 1861 until the spring of 1865. When robert e lee surrenders the last major Confederate Army to Ulysses S Grant at the battle of appomattox courthouse in appomattox, virginia. The civil war was fought in thousands of different places from southern pennsylvania to texas, from new mexico to the lord a coast, and right here in our backyard just a few miles away in maryland. Died ons thought and both sides of the battle line. Nearly 620,000 soldiers, including nearly 40,000 free and runaway slaves, died from combat, accident, starvation, and disease during the war, which, to this day, marks the largest total number of deaths in all american conflicts. Maryland, a slave state, was a border state, but its proximity and opposingl city viewpoints attempting to sway Public Opinion, maryland played a major role in the american the contradiction of slavery in a nation founded on freedom. On february 3, 1864, maryland becomes the north state to ratify the 13th amendment. The state of louisiana was the 16th state to ratify the 13th amendment. On february 17, 1865. However, prior to that time, the civil war was already shaping the kind of country our nation would become, creating a declaration that affirmed all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it. Of civil war started because deeply ingrained and uncompromising differences between the free and slaveholding states, pitting brother against brother, father against father and son against national the power of government to present it slavery. At the wars and, after the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives, the long and difficult process of rebuilding our country would begin. While the district of , andbia was not a state still is not the state it strives to be and therefore was not involved in the ratification process, the district has its own story of abolition. During the civil war, president southernncouraged states to abolish slavery and offered monetary reimbursements to slaveholders if they complied. None agreed. War,g the civil , a vocaletts senator abolitionist, asked president lincoln do you know who is, at this moment, the largest slaveholder in the United States . Lincoln that he was the largest slaveholder, because the president holds all of the slaves of the district of columbia. 1861, massachusetts senator henry wilson introduced a bill to end slavery in the district of columbia. Oppositionsiderable from slaveholding congressman, the bill passed. President lincoln sign the 16, 1862,n on april almost a year before the emancipation proclamation, thus ending slavery in the district of columbia. Utah with c 30 years following the ratification of the 13th amendment and the slobbery and the abolishment of slavery before it would become a state. Considered not widespread among the pioneers, withome did ring slaves them during the expansion to the west. In july, 1862, congress abolished slavery in the territories. A few months later, president lincoln issued a preliminary emancipation proclamation, warning the rebellious states that if they did not return to the union in 100 days, by january 1, 1863, he would, as commander in chief, a man spade the slaves in the rebelling states. He states did not return to the union and refused to free the slaves. Lincoln pronounced my paramount objective and the struggle to save the union is not either to save or destroy slavery. If i could save the union without freeing any slaves, i would do it. If i could save it by freeing all of the slaves, i would do it. If i could do it by freeing some and leaving others alone, i would also do that. What i do about slavery and the colored race, i do because it would help save the union. Forbear, i do not believe it would help save the union. Way ofs the president s softening the blow of military emancipation. He was preparing the public for what he knew was sure to come. Ladies and gentlemen, professor and chair of the department of music at the university of North Carolina at. Hapel hill oh Freedom Freedom oh freedom and before i be asleep graveuried in my and call home to my lord and be free no more weeping no more weeping no weeping oer me and before id be a slave ill be buried in my grave home to my lord and be free oh Freedom Freedom oh freedom meeedom oer and before i be a slave id be buried in my grave be go home to my lord and free freedom [applause] gentlemen, the honorable john cornyn, the honorable alma adams, the honorable cory booker, the heard, and the honorable stan bishop. 1, 1863, president Abraham Lincoln issued the final emancipation proclamation. Persons held as slaves within any state or designated part of a state, the people whereof shall then be within rebellion against the United States, shall then be henceforth and forever free. An executive government of the United States, including the military and Naval Authority willlove thereof recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons and will do no act or acts to repress such persons or any of them in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom. The proclamation, by its terms, border states,o which were not in rebellion against the United States. It only applied to the states in rebellion. Abolished slavery on june 19, 1865, when a Union General arrived on galveston island with troops. They would enforce the 2yearold emancipation proclamation by his general order number three, which reads texas the people of texas are informed that all slaves are free. Absolutelves an equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves. Heretoforenection existing between them becomes that between employer and hired laborer. The freed men are advised to remain quietly at the present homes and work for wages. Toy will not be allowed collect at military posts and they will not be supported in idleness, either there or elsewhere. Despite his defense of the emancipation population as a military measure, president lincoln had lingering doubt of its constitutionality. While he felt the courts would sustain as a war measure, he questioned its force once peace was restored. We already know the slaveholding states argued that lincoln did not have the authority over their state because of secession. The states even contended that slaves could not be freed under international law. Lincoln retorted that the rebellious Southern States continue to exist under the authority of the United States constitution, thereby granting authority to him as commander in chief to act. The process of enforcement began throughout the land. After house passage of the 13th amendment, the North CarolinaGeneral Assembly you voted for ratification on december 4, it 1865. The state was readmitted to the union in 1868. Slavery was abolished in new jersey in 1846. However, the law came with obtuse definitions. They could be considered a gradual abolition of slavery at best. The rod or redefined slaves as apprentices to their masters for life. In new jersey, slavery would officially end in december of 1865. Meanwhile, the president ial election of 1864 was very eventful. President lincoln was reelected, even though the emancipation proclamation was having its affect in the confederacy, lincoln feared some blacks might remain in bondage after the wars end. For greaterng guarantee. A constitutional amendment was needed to legally abolished slavery in all of america. The 13th minute was introduced prior to the 1864 election. On april 8, 1864, the Senate Passed it by a vote of 368. On june 15, 1864, the house of representatives defeated the vote of 93 in favor, 65 opposed, and 23 not voting. The amendment came up 13 votes short of the two thirds required to pass a constitutional. Mendment despite president lincolns encouragement and efforts, the amendment failed to pass the house. With no Southern States represented, a few members of congress pushed moral and religious arguments in favor of slavery. Democrats who oppose the amendment made arguments based on federalism and states rights. The change sohat change the spirit of the constitution and would constitute revolution. Some opponents warned it would lead to full citizenship for blacks. President lincoln became more aggressive. Hiss address at address, he encourage congress to listen to the amendment again. Upon its second introduction, he used his full powers in office to pass the amendment. He argued the necessity of this. We heard earlier about the generals 19, juneteenth is the name given to celebrate emancipation proclamation day. Large celebrations begin in 1866 in texas and continue today. On january 31, 1865, the amendment passed the house of representatives by a vote of 11956. And was submitted to the states for ratification by at least three fourths of the states. The operative clause of the moment consisted of one sentence. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime, whereof the party will have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction. Passage of the amendment, and ohio newspaper theorted the following quick proceeded to read the names. The result of the vote was noted on a piece of paper and handed to this bigger, who announced the passage of the joint resolution by a vote of 119 days nays. 9 yaes against 56 there oppose rose a stout applause. There rose a stout applause. The ladies waved their handkerchiefs and again and again, the applause was repeated. Excited, andwas the friends of the measure were jubilant. Roughly 10 months later, the state of South Carolina ratified the 13th amendment on november 13, 1865. In review, by february of 1865, the states of illinois, rhode island, michigan,aryland, new york pennsylvania, west virginia, kansas, maine, massachusetts, virginia, ohio, indiana, nevada, louisiana, minnesota, and wisconsin had ratified the 13th amendment. In march. Ified tennessee and arkansas in april, followed by connecticut in may. New hampshire in july. South carolina in november. Alabama and North Carolina ratified at the start of december. On december 6, 1865, my home state of georgia became the 27th state to ratify and thusamendment provided the requisite number of states for ratification. Becameh amendment effective the moment that the Georgia Legislature ratified it. Slavery in the night states of america is legally abolished. Hallelujah. [applause] nearly 4 million slaves are free. To god be the glory. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, dr. Lo uise toppin. Singlive the rewards and ring with the harmonies of libert y that is resounded along as the rolling seas sing a song full o fthe faith that the dark past has taught us the hopeng full of that the present has brought us facing the rising sun of our new day begun victory ish on till won road we trod bitter the chastening rod felt in the days when hope unborn had died yet with a steady beat have not our weary feet come to the place for which our fathers sighed we have a come over a way that with tears has been watered we have come treading the path through the blood of the slaughtered out from the gloomy past lastnowe we stand at where the white gleam of our castt star is years our weary god of our silent tears thou who hast brought us thus far on the way thy mightas by led us into the light path, weorever in the pray lest our feet stray from the places our god where we met thee lest our hearts drunk with the wine of the world we forget thee thy handbeneath stand forever true to our god land our native [applause] and ladies and gentlemen, the democratic leader of the honorable nancy pelosi. [applause] pelosi good morning. Today, we gather to observe that one hundred 50 years ago, our nation took a giant step towards honoring the ideals at the heart of our democracy. At long last, we stopped poisoning the soul of our country with the atrocity of slavery. At long last, we broke the shackles that debased the American Dream of justice and equality. We have marked many milestone anniversaries in this year. 150 years of the 13 amendment. 50 years since the selma march and the passage of the Voting Rights act. With each, we celebrate the triumph of dignity, determination, and courage that are the prize of america. Read dedicate to the march toward justice that is the herit