Forced Black labor extended the reality of slavery far beyond 1865
Updated Feb 19, 2021;
In his column, Mr. Foster stated that slavery was sanctioned by the U.S. government for more than 250 years. Mr. Alusheff feels the need to correct the “harmful disinformation” by providing the number of sanctioned years, per his calculation, as 75.
The Emancipation Proclamation of 1863, an executive order issued by President Abraham Lincoln, only freed Confederate-held slaves; as commander in chief, Lincoln could only free southern slaves for military strategies. The 13th Amendment to the Constitution of 1865 permanently abolished slavery.
After the Civil War, southern states passed new laws called “Black Codes,” designed specifically for and enacted to return Blacks to the conditions of slavery (think free labor) under the form of convict leasing. Blacks were arrested for “crimes,” such as being out after curfew and not being able to prove employment. From 1865 to the 1930s, thousands of Blacks, both males and females, were incarcerated and forced to work for no pay by after being leased out to plantations. Mr. Alusheff needs to adjust his calculation.