Edward Baptist is a professor of history at Cornell University and author of the new book, “The Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery and the Making of American Capitalism.” In light of the 150th anniversary of the 13th Amendment, Baptist comments on its importance.
He says:
“The 13th Amendment is the most important amendment in the history of the U.S. Constitution. From 1776 to 1861, the U.S. had been constructed on a foundation of African-American enslavement. The Civil War dug up that foundation, and the 13th Amendment shattered the blocks to dust.
“From 1865 forward U.S. history has moved on a course impossible while millions of people were enslaved for the profit of millions of other American citizens. But the end of slavery left open questions still unanswered. Will the U.S. ever fully commit to removing the ‘badges and incidents of slavery,’ as a 1968 Supreme Court decision described the inequities visited upon those perceived to be descendants of the enslaved by those who have chosen to identify with the enslavers?”
Bio: http://history.arts.cornell.edu/faculty-department-baptist.php
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