ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The 13th Amendment ultimately ended slavery in America, but Maryland needed to draft a new constitution to end the institution of slavery earlier throughout the Old Line State. The Emancipation Proclamation only applied to the Confederate states in the South, so it didn’t apply to Maryland.
On April 6, 1864, voters elected delegates for the new Constitutional Convention that would abolish slavery throughout the state. Delegates would congregate in Annapolis a few weeks later, marking the beginning of the end for slavery in Maryland. The Constitutional Convention began on April 27 and adjourned many months later on Sept. 6.
Maryland’s new constitution would later take effect on Nov. 1, 1864, officially ending slavery in the state of Maryland forever and offering thousands of individuals a fresh chance to start their lives over.
Prior to the abolition of slavery in the state of Maryland, some slaves wrote directly to President Abraham Lincoln because they were left unsure about what was to happen to them in the future. One such example is Annie Davis, an enslaved woman who sent a letter in August 1864, writing:
“Mr. President, it is my desire to be free, to go to see my people on the Eastern Shore. My mistress won’t let me. You will please let me know if we are free and what I can do. I write to you for advice. Please send me word this week or as soon as possible. And obliged. Annie Davis.” (This quote has been edited for punctuation purposes.)
More than 80,000 enslaved people were freed due to the creation and implementation of Maryland’s new constitution, though many newly free men and women still faced discrimination and a lack of basic legal rights.
What Happened To The Freed Men And Women In Maryland?
Every formerly enslaved person’s journey was different, but by and large, most freed people faced economic struggles and discrimination. Initially, Black men still didn’t have the right to vote, but they would gain that right in 1870 after the 15th Amendment was passed.
Though former slaves struggled in many ways, their plight was not in vain, as Black Americans would eventually gain equal rights under the law through the Civil Rights Act of 1964, exactly a century after enslaved people were freed in Maryland.
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If I could go back to 1619 and warn the filthy rich “1%” Democrats of the impact it would have on America..
Slavery is BAD!!