U.S. Ends Slavery on December 6, 1865, with Ratification of 13th Amendment

Dec 6, 2024, 11:30 AM

On December 6, 1865, the United States officially ended the practice of slavery with the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution. This amendment states that 'Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.' The ratification is recognized as a significant milestone in American history, marking the legal abolition of slavery and the beginning of efforts to protect the rights of all its people.