Mark Small

In late June, 1787, James Madison had “proposed to define the two houses of Congress in terms of slavery, imprinting the practice deep in the nation’s genetic material.” Stewart, “The Summer of 1787, 2007, p. 104. 3/12

“Slavery was a nerve too raw for the Convention to confront as directly as Madison proposed. Instead, the delegates would circle the question, passing ever closer until they could avoid it no longer.” Id., p. 105. 4/12

Slavery: most vile & evil institution not simply legal under, but protected by, Constitution. Had that not been the case, at worst Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia and South Carolina would not have signed. 5/12

1860 census: of 9 million ppl in States that would secede from the Union (Treason States) > 3.5 mil were slaves (38%. +). 7 Treason States outlawed teaching slaves to read & write. Tolley, “Slavery and the Origin of Georgia’s 1829 Anti-literacy Act,” Oct. 2019. 6/12

In his last State of the Union address, Pres Buchanan commented on fear of slave insurrections: “Many a matron throughout the South retires at night in dread of what may befall herself and children before the morning.’” 7/12

Slaves actually had experienced for over 200 years - and continued to experience - what many a Southern matron merely had dreaded. During Reconstruction the South faced integration of nearly 39 % of its population into a war-shattered economy. 8/12

State governments of embittered white ppl in the South took out their anger on former slaves and their descendants. Median levels of income and education starkly remind us how far we have to go to “even” the metaphorical playing field. 9/12

Matters of infrastructure - education, health care, and other elements of the social “safety net,” need to be expanded. Integration and training of law enforcement can reduce police violence against those who are not white. 10/12

Slavery was expensive - we still pay for it today. 11/12