While Juneteenth is largely celebrated as a holiday among African-Americans to signal the end of slavery, the practice did not officially end until December 6, 1865. Although the 13th Amendment was ratified that day, it essentially states that slavery is still legal as a form of punishment for a crime. But that is no longer true in the state of Colorado.
The official language from the amendment reads: “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.”
For over a dozen states which uphold this portion of the 13th Amendment, this makes slavery an official form of punishment, especially in federal prisons, according to some experts and observers.
Director Ava DuVernay examined the 13th Amendment and its correlation of Black people being jailed at higher rates than whites in her Netflix documentary, 13th.
Last week, the state passed measure “Amendment A” due to the efforts of the group Abolish Slavery Colorado. In 2016, the group pushed for “Amendment T,” which would have removed the rule of slavery or involuntary servitude from its state constitution. The passing of the 2018 measure was made possible by simplifying the ballot measure question, which now banishes all forms of slavery in the state.
According to reports on the ground in the state, several rural counties in Colorado moved to keep the amendment as is. Colorado was one of over 16 states who supported the 13th Amendment as it was written in 1865.
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