| R 096 |
| 2022 -- H 7325 Enacted 02/03/2022 |
| H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N |
| COMMEMORATING THE 252ND ANNIVERSARY OF THE RATIFICATION OF THE FIFTEENTH AMENDMENT ON FEBRUARY 3, 2022 |
Introduced By: Representatives Potter, Abney, Ranglin-Vassell, Williams, Filippi, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Morales, Hull, and J Lombardi |
| Date Introduced: February 03, 2022 |
| WHEREAS, As the American Civil War was entering its final stages, thought within the |
| Union turned to the issue of how to reconstruct the American South and return the region to being |
| part of a united nation once again. The end result was the passage of the Reconstruction Acts, the |
| Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution, with all |
| being adopted between 1865 and 1870; and |
| WHEREAS, The Thirteenth Amendment, ratified in 1865, abolished slavery and |
| involuntary servitude, and the Fourteenth Amendment, ratified in 1868, provided for full |
| citizenship rights and equal protection of the laws for all Americans; and |
| WHEREAS, Despite the end of the Civil War and Slavery, most southern states tried to |
| return former slaves to something similar to their former status by instituting the infamous “Black |
| Codes” which restricted the freed slaves right to free movement, forced them into unfair year- |
| long labor contracts, impinged on their rights from testifying in court, as well as voting and many |
| other limitations on their freedoms; and |
| WHEREAS, In response to these assaults on liberty and freedom, forces in Congress |
| began working on a constitutional amendment to protect black voting rights. United States |
| Representative John Bingham of Ohio led the charge, and a compromise amendment banning |
| voting restrictions based on race, color or previous condition of servitude passed the United |
| States House of Representatives on February 25, 1869, and the United States Senate the following |
| day; and |
| WHEREAS, With the strong support of President Ulysses S. Grant, all of the New |
| England States, including Rhode Island’s ratification on January 18th, 1870, and most of the |
| Midwest States, the Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution protecting Black |
| voting rights from Federal or State encroachment, was finally ratified on February 3, 1870; now, |
| therefore be it |
| RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby |
| commemorates the 252nd Anniversary of the ratification of the Fifteenth amendment to the |
| United States Constitution on February 3rd, 2022; and be it further |
| RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
| transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Honorable Joseph R. Biden, Jr., President of |
| the United States, the Rhode Island Congressional Delegation, and the Honorable Daniel R. |
| McKee, Governor of the State of Rhode Island. |
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| LC004480 |
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