Slavery ended when the 13th Amendment was ratified on December 7, 1865.
It wasn’t until December 8, 1865 that enslaved people in Texas (and California and Oregon. And New Jersey) could lay down their tools, walk away from their assigned tasks and legally say “thanks, but no thanks” to the prospect of living out their remaining days as enslaved people.
19th-century White Texans squeezed an extra two and a half years of free labor from enslaved Black Texans by keeping them in the dark about the Emancipation Proclamation which, by the way, was unenforceable in the first place.
They didn’t want Black people to vote. Guess what? Neither do 21st century Republicans.
Equally asinine is the Emmett Till Antilynching Act which profanes his memory by trivializing the unique horror of that infamous crime. AR-15s—not rope—are the weapons of choice for 21st century racists.
Black progressives and their allies need to stop crowding together for group signing photos of meaningless legislation.
Want to honor the memories of exploited African Americans?
Make Election Day a federal holiday.
Reprint:
Connect the Dots 101 
Leave a comment