The Thirteenth Amendment and American Freedom: A Legal History (Constitutional Amendments)

In this narrative history and contextual analysis of the Thirteenth Amendment, slavery and freedom take center stage. Alexander Tsesis demonstrates how entrenched slavery was in pre-Civil War America, how central it was to the political events that resulted in the Civil War, and how it was the driving force that led to the adoption of an amendment that ultimately provided a substantive assurance of freedom for all American citizens. The story of how Supreme Court justices have interpreted the Thirteenth Amendment, first through racist lenses after Reconstruction and later influenced by the modern civil rights movement, provides insight into the tremendous impact the Thirteenth Amendment has had on the Constitution and American culture. Importantly, Tsesis also explains why the Thirteenth Amendment is essential to contemporary America, offering fresh analysis on the role the Amendment has played regarding civil rights legislation and personal liberty case decisions, and an original explanation of the substantive guarantees of freedom for today's society that the Reconstruction Congress envisioned over a century ago. Contents......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 10 Preface......Page 12 Part I......Page 20 1 Slavery and Its Social Penetration......Page 22 2 On the Road to Ratification......Page 45 3 End of Radical Ideals and Judicial Response......Page 70 4 Summing Up and Looking Ahead......Page 105 Part II......Page 110 5 Theoretical Foundation......Page 112 6 Thirteenth Amendment and Constitutional Rights......Page 123 7 Contemporary Settings......Page 148 Conclusion......Page 172 Notes......Page 174 Select Bibliography......Page 212 Index......Page 232 About the Author......Page 240 "In this narrative history and contextual analysis of the Thirteenth Amendment, slavery and freedom take center stage. Alexander Tsesis demonstrates how entrenched slavery was in pre-Civil War America, how central it was to the political events that resulted in the Civil War, and how it was the driving force that led to the adoption of an amendment that ultimately provided a substantive assurance of freedom for all American citizens."--BOOK JACKET Study of constitutional law is most rewarding when it concerns civil rights.