Mark Small

- although neither “slavery” nor a derivative of that word appears in the original Constitution - as a price to secure Southern States in the Union. 14/29

The monetary value of people held as slaves was enormous. Despite the Declaration of Independence’s claim that all “men” are created equal, the States of the Confederacy only gave up ownership of people only after The Civil War. 15/29

The modern Republican Party had been formed in 1854 and was a major force in Reconstruction. As a result, States formerly of the Confederacy embraced the Democratic Party. For decades the Democratic Party relied upon the “solid South.” 16/29

Until 1954, and the SCOTUS decision in Brown v. Bd of Education of Topeka I, discrimination against former slaves & their descendants, particularly in Southern States, was extreme. People were lynched, murdered by other means, and beaten. 17/29

1960s: viol against black ppl continued, but several pieces of Federal legislation were enacted to protect civil rights and voting rights, particularly in the South. President Lyndon Johnson said the Democratic Party had lost the South for a generation. 18/29

Some people in the GOP took advantage of these changes. The “Southern strategy,” under which the GOP would seek, through appeals to prejudice, was put into play. 19/29

If this country circa 1787 is viewed as a person who weighed 200 lbs, slavery was a tumor that comprised at least 25% of that weight. If a tumor - even benign - of that size is removed, the person’s metabolism is significantly altered. 20/29

The takeover of the GOP by reactionary elements shows that we still deal with the effects of slavery. I am lucky. I am a white male of European descent. I only can imagine the experience of one who is discriminated against. 21/29