States Consider Striking Slavery Language From Founding Documents
Voters in five states will consider rewriting their constitutions this year to remove outdated language that allows for involuntary servitude, putting a spotlight on rarely or never-used punishments that have roots in America’s legacy of slavery.
The Louisiana state Senate voted last week to add a measure to this year’s ballot that would modernize the state constitution to explicitly prohibit slavery and involuntary servitude. The unanimous Senate vote came about a week after the House voted 96 to 0 in favor of placing the measure before voters this November.
The current constitution, adopted in 1974, prohibits slavery and involuntary servitude “except in the latter case as punishment for crime.” If voters approve the change, that clause would be struck.
