After 148 years, Mississippi finally ratifies 13th Amendment, which banned slavery

The 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which abolished slavery, was ratified in 1865. Lawmakers in Mississippi, however, only got around to officially ratifying the amendment last month -- 148 years later -- thanks to the movie "Lincoln."

The state's historical oversight came to light after Mississippi resident Ranjan Batra saw the Steven Spielberg-directed film last November, the Clarion-Ledger reports.

After watching the film, which depicts the political fight to pass the 13th Amendment, Batra did some research. He learned that the amendment was ratified after three-fourths of the states backed it in December 1865. Four remaining states all eventually ratified the amendment -- except for Mississippi. Mississippi voted to ratify the amendment in 1995 but failed to make it official by notifying the U.S. Archivist.

Batra spoke to another Mississippi resident, Ken Sullivan, who contacted Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann about the oversight. Finally, on Jan. 30, Hosemann sent the Office of the Federal Register a copy of the 1995 resolution, and on Feb. 7, the Federal Register made the ratification official.

According to the Clarion-Ledger, it's unclear why the state never sent the U.S. Archivist its 1995 resolution. "What an amendment to have an error in filing," Dick Molpus, who served then as secretary of state, told the paper.

[venusvegasvada]

Deplorable.

The sad thing is without the movie "Lincoln" and the actions of Ranjan Batra, Mississippi STILL wouldn't have completed the process! Who knows how long it would have taken them to finally getting around to complete the process.

A special thank you is in order to Ranjan Batra for caring enough to dig and finally finish what was started so long ago.

[GOP-R--Con-Men]

JV1970 is so typical of teabagging republicans willing to use pretzel logic to appear rational. News Flash you sound racist! You their were Africans who sold others into slavery. Do you think those selling others actually knew the hell they were doing to the lives of the people they sold? Think about it and this time use logic of a rational thinking person.

The people selling others were thousands of miles away from where slaves evenually came to be. It's not like a African could inspect America and to see how slave were being treated then return home. In fact as a African seller if you set foot in America you too became a slave.

JV1970 as a white, female christian do you find it okay that slave owners raped female slaves from puberty to death? Do you blame the slaves for being raped by the slave owners?

[notliving4thisworld]

Stop blaming the races and start blaming the racists. As I recall, slaves didn't request, ask for nor deserved to be put into slavery. They had no choice. So why do all of you modern day racists, 148 years later, still treat slavery like it was the doing of the slaves and not the owners. Blame the slave owners, not the slaves. Yes, I am white, female and Christian (a triple minority). Sooooo what?! So for all of you racists--nobody likes you either!

[chamitrac]

That is true,but slavery was apart of life back then, it was the norm. There were chiefs that sold many members of his tribes, to then be sold by the same men who he sold his tribe to. As time went on, who is to blame? THEY ALL ARE TO BLAME, it was accepted. So no need to point fingers they WERE ALL GUILTY

[planetzortex]

Christianity is NOT a minority.

[Bush-cheney-R-Terrorists]

A certain amount of due diligence is required on these matters. 148 years was probably rushing it for Mississippi.

[top1939]

What they should have done was.....stop callin Blacks .. AFRICAN AMERICANS... I am not a ITALIAN AMERICAN.. I am an AMERICAN..
Want to be an AFRICAN AMERICAN....move there..
Same with us ITALIANS... If they want to be called ITALIAN Americans....move to Italy... Pretty dumb , don't you think....

[vista8635]

Call me "Ranjan Batra!"

[GOP-R--Con-Men]

Top1939,

Name the only group the US Government legally backed their enslavement?

[GOP-R--Con-Men]

Want to vacation in the third world but rather spend your money in America? Vacation in Mississippi it's like visiting the third world without leaving America's borders.

The previous statement brought to you by the Mississippi Tourism Board.

[tiredofbeingbanned]

Sure, go to New York, Chicago, Los Angelas, Miami....great advice you moron.

[oldhippee]

Excellent comment.

[TopCatCBS]

Now they've found another group to hate - gays and lesbians - maybe they figure they can "go easy" now on African Americans.

[ecijoe]

Indiana is often compared to a northern Mississippi. Our state responded to the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 by exiling and banning all people of color to avoid the effort of enforcing the act. It was done in 1851 State Constitution. I believe in was the 1970s before the section was removed in Indiana. If actually stated, I believe, that any person of color in the state would be presumed a run away slave and sent south.

[excop1949]

I GUESS ALL THE SLAVES IN MISSISSIPPI ARE REALLY HAPPY NOW?

[YK8]

Did Mississippi learn anything from Mark Twain?

At all?

Even a little?

[GOP-R--Con-Men]

I wonder how many Mississippians can spell Mississippi?

[netjunkie1]

They learned to edit.