Description
All Americans owe a debt of gratitude to African-Americans for the foundation of modern America—the 14th Amendment, but most know nothing about it.
It resolved the stain of the Dred Scott decision by making any one born in the United States a citizen, thus converting 3.6 million freed by the 13th Amendment’s abolition of slavery subject to equal protection of the law.
The organization of 4,700 chapters of the Loyal League with 700,000 members by the end of 1863 laid the foundation for the mobilization of 209,145 U.S. Troops of African Descent at the decisive moment when Northern whites were wavering to handle the war’s sacrifices.
Courage and bravery of the Black soldiers in 19 regiments of Corps d’Afrique in the Mississippi River campaign caused a change in Northern public sentiment leading to the re-election of President Abraham Lincoln and the decisive victories of 1865 spearheaded by the 25th Corps.
Templeton traces the legislative history of the 14th Amendment through the 11 volumes of testimony for the Joint Reconstruction Committee and finds every resolution of approval passed by the state legislatures. This is important to understand nationwide consensus to equal protection of the law.
He also explains that the other provision of the 14th Amendment, the full faith and credit clause, is the underpinning for our financial markets and our national wealth.
