Unprecedented Public Hearings; Vermont Constitutional Amendment Completely Prohibiting Slavery

Mark Hughes
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All,

This has never happened in Vermont.

Show up and be a part of history!

Thursday, April 4th at 5:00 pm, there will be a public hearing on a proposal (PR.2) to amend the Constitution of the State of Vermont to completely prohibit slavery (as introduced), which will “serve as a foundation for addressing systemic racism in our States’s laws and institutions”.  Testimony till now has been taken in the committee room during normal business hours.  We believe that this has resulted in the current version of the proposal where that purpose is now “to clarify that slavery in any form is prohibited” and offers confusing and unnecessary language that could be interpreted to the contrary.

What are we asking of the committee that they are not doing?

  • Take testimony at a time when working Vermont can be heard
  • Ensure that the constitution clearly and unambiguously prohibits slavery   
  • Replace language referring to “Qualifications of Freemen and Freewomen” in Vermont Constitution Chapter II
  • Comport the language to our current ideals and values, not our history; not our current laws and institutions


If you are interested in testifying on Thursday here is how you can reach the committee and inform them of your desire to do so (you can also offer written testimony):

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Slavery is still not completely abolished in Vermont

Here are the instructions for preparing testimony.

Do you need a ride?  Get on this list ASAP and we’ll help you make it to this event.Paragraph

The criminalization, punishment and oppression of black and poor people is at the root of slavery. Show up and be a part of history in our journey to dismantle the foundation of systemic racism in Vermont.  It has taken us 242 years to get to here.  Please make sure that you are in room 11 in the Statehouse on Thursday, April 4th, 2019 at 5:00 pm. 

#ChangeVermont