Many northern states weren’t bothering to abide by the principles being imposed on the South. Thus, while most southern states had granted black men the right to vote, most northern states had not.
The 15th was effectively negated by LBJ’s so called “Great Society Act” of 1965. NY Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan opposed it on the floor of the senate accurately predicting that it would return the blacks to a state of servitude, this time to the Federal Government. He was correct. The very first rule issued was in the “Aid for families with Dependent Children” ADFC. If there was a man in the house there was no money. This caused the black divorce rate to soar and now we see the results.
There were no black men in the house because they were disproportionately incarcerated. Once again made into slaves under the exception in the 13th Amendment.
It’s baffling that as a nation founded on freedom and liberty for all that certain groups were excluded from that idea. The question is why. The answer is because it was being formed by human beings who were not perfect, but trying to set the groundwork for a more perfect union. They managed through amendments to the constitution and by the people most affected speaking and standing up to make important changes. Keeping freedom is a constant struggle. It has to be fought for in order to preserve and protect it. The biggest threat to the Republic is human nature. It will always be a struggle to maintain a truly free country because there will always be self serving people seeking ways to destroy it.
What an insight to the dilemma of slavery and the resultant ratification of those amendments. Legal slavery was "abolished", but defacto slavery continued on and on--not necessarily of just blacks, but also of other "less desirable" people. We see progress waxing and waning on all fronts, but man's inhumanity to man has not ended and IMO will not ever end until that day when Christ returns and makes all things right. Morality cannot and will not be legislated. It's a matter of the heart.
This gave me chills! The comment by Frederick Douglass was amazing. Thank you Tara, I thought New York had lost their minds just now in my lifetime but your article proves they had lost their minds long before.
The 13th, 14th and 15th were supposed to solve issues after the war. Instead people found ways to be imperfect and make more trouble. The unintended consequences are always what hurts the most.
It is sad that it took an amendment to do that. I would think that the Constitution covered that. But, it took an amendment to bring that to a point of law I suppose. The only greater shame is that prejudice outlived the passage of that amendment. I know the phrase comes from the Declaration of Independence, but what happened to the bold statement of “all men are created equal?”
I think that this is a very well said blog Tara, thank you. I had nearly forgotten that the Southern states had to guarantee suffrage to their black people before being readmitted to the Union.
I imagine that for a time after the 15th amendment to the Constitution was ratified, people believed that all men were actually equal, as President Grant and Frederick Douglas both agreed. In recent times, apparently not so much.
The 15th was effectively negated by LBJ’s so called “Great Society Act” of 1965. NY Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan opposed it on the floor of the senate accurately predicting that it would return the blacks to a state of servitude, this time to the Federal Government. He was correct. The very first rule issued was in the “Aid for families with Dependent Children” ADFC. If there was a man in the house there was no money. This caused the black divorce rate to soar and now we see the results.
There were no black men in the house because they were disproportionately incarcerated. Once again made into slaves under the exception in the 13th Amendment.
It’s baffling that as a nation founded on freedom and liberty for all that certain groups were excluded from that idea. The question is why. The answer is because it was being formed by human beings who were not perfect, but trying to set the groundwork for a more perfect union. They managed through amendments to the constitution and by the people most affected speaking and standing up to make important changes. Keeping freedom is a constant struggle. It has to be fought for in order to preserve and protect it. The biggest threat to the Republic is human nature. It will always be a struggle to maintain a truly free country because there will always be self serving people seeking ways to destroy it.
What an insight to the dilemma of slavery and the resultant ratification of those amendments. Legal slavery was "abolished", but defacto slavery continued on and on--not necessarily of just blacks, but also of other "less desirable" people. We see progress waxing and waning on all fronts, but man's inhumanity to man has not ended and IMO will not ever end until that day when Christ returns and makes all things right. Morality cannot and will not be legislated. It's a matter of the heart.
This gave me chills! The comment by Frederick Douglass was amazing. Thank you Tara, I thought New York had lost their minds just now in my lifetime but your article proves they had lost their minds long before.
Thank you Tara. That's why John Adam's wrote this constitution is made for a moral and religious people. Wholly inadequate for any other.
The 13th, 14th and 15th were supposed to solve issues after the war. Instead people found ways to be imperfect and make more trouble. The unintended consequences are always what hurts the most.
Excellent story. Sad that mankind can't always see the truth right in front of its nose.
Thank you for this story. I never knew this particular fact.
Radical Reconstruction was just a political continuation of the War of Northern Agression! I write about this in my historical novel.
It is sad that it took an amendment to do that. I would think that the Constitution covered that. But, it took an amendment to bring that to a point of law I suppose. The only greater shame is that prejudice outlived the passage of that amendment. I know the phrase comes from the Declaration of Independence, but what happened to the bold statement of “all men are created equal?”
I think that this is a very well said blog Tara, thank you. I had nearly forgotten that the Southern states had to guarantee suffrage to their black people before being readmitted to the Union.
I imagine that for a time after the 15th amendment to the Constitution was ratified, people believed that all men were actually equal, as President Grant and Frederick Douglas both agreed. In recent times, apparently not so much.
Still hard to believe that it didn't include women
A sad condition and cowardly conduct by the North...
Thank you, Tara.
Sad that the 600,000 dead was not enough to immediately make all human beings equal!
As I live and breathe I am very surprised by this one. Thank you Tara!