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"How did the 13th amendment help shape America?" by Kimora Aiken

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SC American Legion Oratorical Contest Quadrant Four Region - Kimora Aiken, a phenomenal senior at Ridgeland Hardeeville High School, contested at the regional level for the American Legion Oratorical Contest in Abbey Glen Way, SC on Saturday, February 26, 2022.

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hello everyone my name is Kimora Akin and before we start today speech I would like to tell you all about a man named Roosevelt Aiken senior mr. Aiken here went from Jennifer services in 1973 to creating a program for delinquent teens and Ridgeland South Carolina Jasper County Courthouse with Jasper County facing many great racial tensions which direction is my grandfather my grandmother was told me a story about him and how he had to go down to the basement just use the bathroom I thought how silly and ridiculous as well as a child and I didn't really quite understand until I was old growing up as an African American women in United States of America I begin to ask myself questions about my people's history for example why were African Americans enslaved how are times during slavery different now that were free and do the 13th Amendment I was able to answer all these questions and without the 13th Amendment my grandfather not have been able to have this job but that's all being said I like to raise you one final question how did the 13th shape today's America but understand this question we need to understand how this memory came to be slavery was established in 1640 in the year 1865 effectively ended slavery in any involuntary servitude in the United States for 264 years yes that's right 264 years African Americans were Enslaved the United States and with the 13 be written as the first of three reconstruction amendments to be ratified during the Civil War but slavery still existed in American colonies despite our Newfound Independence 13th Amendment States slavery voluntary servitude of the party shopping punishment for crime in United States to be duly convicted section 2 of the 13th Amendment States Congress shall have power to administrate this by appropriate legislation domestic slave still existed the northern colonies many do not know but what's most dependent upon is southern colonies on plantations and as laborers according to National Geographic the word slave I'm not used in the newly-formed United States Constitution we are recalled as unfree persons we were considered equal we were considered a person or treated like mothers and daughters sons and fathers families torn apart by this cruel and unusual punishment in the United States we're forgotten about no man that claims to be for the free and for the people not reaching a 4 million and 1861 the issue was then brought the climax by abolitionist who is Frederick Douglass who was also a free black man during this time who brought the issue to the president during this time Abraham Lincoln in 1860 and later in the months following his the southern states seceded and formed the Confederate States of America because they're not willing to give up their slaves North or South progress and War when the Americans have never seen simple issues of slavery in 1862 Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation which ended slavery in Southern States and this Proclamation anger Southern is because blank from the get-go said that he would never get rid of this house slave and with this and freeze them and after that another Proclamation then granted amnesty to Southern states that abolished slavery and returned to the union peacefully so in other words Malaysian Grand Mac back into the Union but unfortunately Southern States we're not going to agree with this and in the end had no choice but to back down against the North even after the 13th Amendment made real eagle and the war was over and it's just begun for newly freed black people this country was built on the back of slaves was free or free the five for Isis rigorous with lodging pass that are racially biased Jim Crow laws and state sinks in labor practices such as convict leasing put many black Americans into a body trailer for years to understand the simple important that the 13th amendment has an African American culture is alone this amendment Started Black History without it I wouldn't be able to stand here today and this free world our history has been written over and tossed aside for years which is why there is a Black History Month which is cell in the month of February the amazing devices and ideas that black people have created we have been treated unfairly by the system which is a word for that did you know call systemic racism which is the four racism and better the society which is the type of discrimination found an employment housing Healthcare political representation an education in the criminal justice system especially this is that what this is slavery was abolished were once quoted on this and said you can call institutionalized racism or institutionalized in equality but what I say is that any system that works to maintain an equality is a corrupt system and must be a from the voting rights are black men 1878 to the underlook trials such as the Central Park five in 1985 black people have died with a bunch of hair treatment by the system and the same exact year the black man getting the right to vote literacy test and poll taxes were then set up against us because black people did not have the means to gain an education and learn how to read a right then I have the means to pay for the poll taxes to disencourage this is encouraged black people to vote this axe is called the Voting Rights Act and is not in until nineteen sixty-five 95 years later 95 years African Americans have been discouraged to vote in the United States our voices have been silenced we're not able to vote without such hurdles in our way and see if your child such as drug slice case be put to rest how to answer the question how did the 13 shakes days America this document paved the way for me to stand here today are presented to you and get an education in a free world America has been shaped in a way that black history is a making history so a black history is American history why is it only acknowledged for 28 days out of the whole year thank you

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"How did the 13th amendment help shape America?" by Kimora Aiken

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