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The 13th Amendment at 150: Emancipation, America’s Second Founding, and the Challenges That Remain
  • Date: Tuesday, December 08, 2015
  • Time: 12:00 am
  • Location: William G. McGowan Theater, Washington, DC

The 13th Amendment, which banned slavery throughout the United States, began a wave of constitutional transformations that followed through on President Lincoln’s promise of “a new birth of freedom” and has been described as the “Second Founding.” For the 150th anniversary of the ratification of the 13th Amendment, we explore the challenges that remain.

Moderator Jeffrey Rosen, president, National Constitution Center, leads a discussion with Rep. G.K. Butterfield, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus; Judge Bernice Donald, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit; Judge James Wynn, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit; Thavolia Glymph, professor of history, Duke University; author and journalist Richard Brookhiser; and Kate Masur, professor of history, Northwestern University.

Presented in partnership with the Constitutional Accountability Center and the National Constitution Center.

A book signing of Richard Brookhiser’s Founders’ Son: A Life of Lincoln will follow the program. Purchase this book on the day of the event from the myArchives Store and receive a 15% discount (members get 20% off).

All public programs at the National Archives are free and streamed live online via the National Archives’ YouTube channel. Reservations are recommended; seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. The doors to the building will open 45 minutes prior to the start of the program. Use the Special Events entrance on the corner of Constitution Avenue and 7th Street, NW. Click here for more information on getting to the National Archives and parking.Live captioning will be available online and in the William G. McGowan Theater. If you require an alternative or additional accommodation for an event (such as a downloadable transcript or a sign language interpreter), please send an email to public.program@nara.gov or call 202-357-5000 in advance.